


Tense

by xanster



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, Super Junior
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 09:22:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 26,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9715136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanster/pseuds/xanster
Summary: Shim Changmin is a performer who has established himself as one of the top in the showbusiness industry in Japan. He gets hired to perform at a new club in Korea where he meets a certain Jung Yunho, who is as mysterious as he is powerful. But Shim Changmin did not get to where he is by being easily frightened by people such as him...





	1. Tense

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: To aid readers who may not be familiar with the use of cinematic techniques (switches between viewpoints and narratives), Changmin's portions are in bold. I've also mostly used the English translation (webpage) of 'Something' as I feel it relates to the atmosphere I was going for in this one-shot better. I've also purposely not named the characters until the end to retain a feel of 'mystery' and 'vagueness'. 
> 
> P.S: This one-shot became a chaptered series and took 3 years. Lol. Started 8th February 2014, Completed 14th February 2017  
> x-posted on xanster.livejournal.com

When night falls, the true character of the city awakens. Beneath the rigidity and cleanliness of Seoul lay a whole underworld of grit and roughness. Like how the police kept order in the day, at night, it was an unspoken rule that order was handed over to the Korean triads that kept to their turfs; unspoken and fragile alliances and treaties keeping the peace. The police tried not to intrude on the triads' turfs when 'incidents' happened, preferring to keep out of the way of the '사장' or 'The President' as the press had nicknamed him. If there was a 'king' of triads, that would be him. His family had been one of the longest-surviving and most-established Korean triads since the golden days of the _chaebol_. In _fact, he was chaebol_ , the heir to one of the biggest conglomerates in South Korea, with large subsidiaries in Japan and China. His grandfather had sent his father overseas to study, and like his father, he too, had been educated overseas. The press called them 'the most forward-looking modern business empire' of the 21st century. And they had no problem at all with living double-lives. Running both legal and illegal businesses were the same to them - one just had to be discreet, careful and above all, trust no one.  
  
So when he walked into Club Tense with his entourage, the red carpet had been laid out for his arrival. The VIP section was cleared out and his table prepared with expensive liquor, the owner himself waiting to receive him. One of his more important business contacts had just bought over the club and revamped it with a new 'Las Vegas-style' concept. Having been taught from a young age how to maintain long-standing business contacts, a necessity for all successful businessmen, he had duly agreed to show up for the launch. The media representatives were already eagerly lined up aside, cameras flashing as they caught sight of him at the entrance. His entourage quietly went on ahead, taking up their positions amongst the crowd and inside the club. He posed for pictures for a few minutes, flashing his trademark smile and making some of the female journalists and staff present fidget nervously. To the general public, this was one of Asia's most eligible bachelors under 30 and the only non-celebrity in South Korea with an actual fan-club.  His partner and Club Tense's owner bustled up to him and quickly ushered him inside to his table, brushing aside shouts from the media for a few words.  
  
Inside the club, a magnum bottle of champagne was popped open and the first round of celebratory drinks downed. He glanced around, making eye contact with his bodyguards who were seated at various tables around him, blending in with the crowd. Usually he  would decline such public settings, preferring the closed-doors of private functions and events. However, his interest had been piqued when he had casually mentioned his partner's invitation to his best friend, Lee Donghae. Donghae's eyes had widened in excitement and he had immediately cut off his manager and brought him aside. 'You have to go! I heard they have a new concept now. A 'big band' type of entertainment, and they brought in overseas-trained performers for the show!' Donghae was almost jumping up and down as he went on. 'I think you'll like it, and god knows, you need some excitement in your life, Mr Double-Trouble.' Donghae winked knowingly. 'They brought in that star from Japan. He's Korean but he's been in Japan for ages and he's got his own following there. I went to watch him a few times when I toured in Japan, and he's amazing. Sings like a dream and dances.. you should just go and see for yourself. Seriously, I'll go with you.'  
  
And so there he was, with Super Junior's Donghae next to him eagerly prattling on about the performer. The buzz over him had heightened significantly when the press caught sight of the celebrity coming in after him, and there was now a huge crowd outside the club trying to get in. He had known the man since they were kids back in Gwangju, and he was one of the few that stayed with him through the years, refusing to judge him for his double-life. That was one of the reasons he preferred to stay so low-profile, he didn't want anything to potentially come up and affect the few loved ones he had. It was also one of the reasons he had been single for so long, refusing to let anyone come close enough to be hurt because of who he was. He looked back at Donghae, who was now whispering into the ear of a waiter. The club was decked out in a 1950s' style, all gold and black. He wondered if his father should have come instead of him.  
  
'It's starting!' Donghae said next to him, taking a gulp of his champagne. 'You can thank me later.' He looked quizzically at his best friend but his attention was on the stage down in front of their table. The lights dimmed.  
  
A husky whisper broke the silence. 'She's got that Something, she's just a beautiful.' Spotlights turned on and focused on the centre of the stage. Dancers dressed in suits and top hats were encircling something in the middle. Then the music started. 'Shhhhh..' a soft male voice started. Lights flashed and the strains of 'Something', the show's theme song started playing. 'Watch out.' and the lights came on.  
  
He was enraptured. Those big doe eyes, the brown curly hair, the long legs. The light brown suit that the male performer wore looked like it was sewn just for him. The light technician seemed to know exactly how to showcase the man.  
  
_Jebal najom kkaeujima_  
Eojetbam hansumdo motjatdanmallya  
  
The dancing. He looked back at Donghae. Donghae was watching him and smirking at his reaction. He blushed and elbowed his best friend, before turning his attention back to the stage.  
  
_Soljikhi deomdeomhangibun_  
Eonjena naege kkochyeobeorinsiseondeul

  
**The male performer looked up as he turned. He had been informed by the owner that Super Junior's Lee Donghae and a very, very important guest were present. Soon after, a waiter had come up to tell him that Donghae had requested something special for the VIP in question. He was used to such requests from the bigwigs that came to watch him in Japan so he knew a refusal was out of the question. The owner had specifically impressed upon him the importance of the guest, and such guests, well, they usually had more to them than met the eye. He spotted Lee Donghae first, and then his eyes moved to the man beside. And he was gone.**

**The man's features were perfect. A pair of almond eyes that seemed to see right through him. A smirk that lay casually upon his cupid's bow-shaped mouth. Hair swept upwards and to the side. A black and white suit with an oxblood pocket square. The man was strikingly handsome, but most of all, he reeked of confidence and power. Japanese men were androgynous and good-looking enough, but this man easily took the crown.**

_Dodohae boijiman nareul hyanghan nunbichi heundeulliji  
Jomdeo bunbalhaeya doelkkeol_

**_You may look haughty, but I can see you staring at me. You’re going to have to do better than that_.**

The performer seemed to be singing it to him. _Sure, challenge accepted._

**And then the VIP _winked directly at him_. He felt his heart pound frantically inside his chest as he took a deep breath. His dance break in the show was coming up. Time for the special request to take place. **

The music stopped. He pointed at the VIP and crooked his index finger. **_Come._**

Donghae quickly turned to him. 'Go!' he whispered urgently. 'Trust me, just go, you'll really thank me later.' He shot a murderous glance at his best friend before turning to the performer. The audience was watching him, he had an image to upkeep. Nothing ever ruffled his feathers. _Urgh, I'll kill Donghae later. Be cool._ He thought to himself as he stood up. Donghae gave him a friendly shove for luck and he rolled his eyes.

A chair had been brought out onto the stage. He was ushered to it by one of the dancers, and the music started again. The performer came closer to him.

_He's got that something._ **Eyes locked onto each other.**  
_If you hesitate, I’ll cry baby._ That smirk on his face.  
_If you smoothly approach me without getting caught._ **His hip thrusts, side-to-side.**  
_I might just turn a blind eye and play along._ His legs crossed casually over each other, watching.

_If I’m a bad guy._ **His fingers as they float through the air.**  
_If I’m a guy who makes girls cry._ His palm on his knee.  
_It might be better for you to step away before you get hurt._ **His doe eyes.**  
_Though I know you’d never be able to refuse me._ His _scars_.

_Normal and average._ **His full lips.**  
_If you’re sick of guys like that._ His quiet confidence.  
_Then come put it all in, a dangerous come in._ **His mischievous sparkle.**  
_The two of us will burn like a fire._ His jawline.

He came closer as the show drew to an end. He slowly straddled the man and sang softly, almost as if he was whispering into his ear:

_If you smoothly approach me without getting caught  
I might just turn a blind eye and play along_

A gush of warm breath followed the words, caressing his ear lobe gently before the lights dimmed and the sound of catcalling (most of it likely from Donghae) and loud applause filled the room.

**'Thank you.'** The weight was lifted off of him as the performer got up, and a hand was held out in front of him.

'No, thank you. That was really good.' He took the hand, firmly grasping it, feeling like he didn't want to let go of it yet.

**'Haha, It's my job, I better be good at it.'** Their hands remained clasped together, hints of smiles and electricity buzzing in the air around them.

'What is your name?' He wanted to get to know this man. For crying out loud, that couple of minutes on stage had him feeling emotions he had thought he had forgotten how to feel.

**'Changmin. What's yours?'** A shyness had enveloped the other as he gazed down briefly to the floor. He swallowed briefly, waiting for a response.

'Yunho.'


	2. Tense: 1B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shim Changmin is a performer who has established himself as one of the top in the showbusiness industry in Japan. He gets hired to perform at a new club in Korea where he meets a certain Jung Yunho, who is as mysterious as he is powerful. But Shim Changmin did not get to where he is by being easily frightened by people such as him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tense was meant to be a one-shot, but the muse has awakened. This continues from the scene after Changmin and Yunho introduce themselves to each other. I use cinematic techniques a lot in my personal writing, this includes switching between viewpoints and flashbacks.

  
'So, you're welcome.' Donghae says gleefully as Yunho returns to his seat. The cool-as-ice Yunho has returned to the surface as the man sits himself down and takes a sip of the gin and tonic that Donghae had poured for him. A faint smile plasters itself on the corner of his lips as he grumbles indistinctly to himself. 'Yah! Was that what you were whispering about earlier? You're lucky you're my best friend. No one else would have gotten away with it!' He cocks an eyebrow at his best friend and sticks out his tongue.  
  
'Whoa. Did you just stick your tongue out at me?' Donghae blinks in surprise before grinning broadly. 'You _so_ owe me, dude. I knew you'd like it!' Donghae knows his best friend well, and he had honestly been worried with the way Yunho had increasingly closed himself up as he took over more and more of his family's businesses. When was the last time Yunho had let himself go? Maybe back in university, which was almost 7 years ago and counting. He had dated here and there, but the girls always ended up too clingy, too insecure. Goodness knows why, Yunho is a loyal and trustworthy man. But knowing his background, it was easy to see why his partners had trust issues. Insecurity didn't meld well together with a man who lives double-lives. His last serious girlfriend's trust issues had almost botched his cover when she had barged her way into a triad meeting, thinking Yunho was cheating on her. Right in the middle of an exchange of guns and almost 2 billion in cold hard cash. How do you explain that away to a girlfriend who has no idea about your _other_ side? Yunho had been forced to cut the price of the arms by 10% in return for the other triad's promise not to harm her, and in return, he had gotten punished by his father for making the family lose face. Yes, his dad didn't practise favouritism. Everything he was, he had learnt from scratch and from the bottom-up. His girlfriend didn't know all that though, she had turned hysterical and then disappeared overseas, apparently fearing for her life. Donghae had been there for him, watching quietly as the carefree boy he knew grew up to become a hardened, tough man whose true personality only emerged in flashes, mostly in front of him..

And here was a flash of that boy again. Donghae had figured Shim Changmin would be a welcome surprise. A little fun for the night. The man was a favourite of the Japanese yakuza who patronised his shows regularly, so he would definitely know how to act around triads. Changmin was alluring even to him, and he was as heterosexual as they got. All he wanted was his best friend to let loose a little. Little did he know, how loose he would become.  
  
'Donghae, I'll be right back.'  
  
\----  
  
 _Backstage_  
  
Rubbing the back of his neck, Changmin gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He could see the tell-tale remnants of the blush that had coloured his cheeks earlier when Yunho had held his hand. He hadn't even realised they were still holding hands until the club's boss came up to usher Yunho personally back to his seat. What kind of man was he that the boss himself would do that? Changmin had no idea and he was slightly nervous about that. In Japan, he was used to being patronised by yakuza bosses, earning huge amounts of tips in exchange for shared drinks and a little bit of harmless flirtation here and there. Nothing more. However, he had never experienced such chemistry with anyone before. The electricity was still buzzing in the air as the image of Yunho sitting there, watching him, flashed in his mind. It was like the club had disappeared and it had been just the two of them. Changmin shivered at the memory. _Don't be silly. You can do without_. He told himself sternly, getting up to change out of his stage attire.  
  
He shrugged out of his light brown jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt. Then he looked back up at the mirror and froze.  
  
 _Yunho_.  
  
The man was leaning against the closed door of his dressing room, watching him, smirking. Changmin gulped and cleared his throat quickly. _Damn, he looked so sexy_.  
  
'Didn't your parents teach you to knock before coming into someone's room?'  
  
'I did. You didn't respond, I just assumed silence meant consent.' Yunho cocked an eyebrow at him teasingly, arms folded across his chest.  
  
'Oh really? Haven't you heard, when you assume you make an ass out of you and me.' He shot back before he could stop himself. _Oh my god, what is wrong with you, Shim Changmin! What if he gets offended? HE'S A VIP, HELLO._ Quickly, he looked back down at his shirt, where his hands had stopped mid-way through his unbuttoning. He was going to button it up again when Yunho chuckled.  
  
'Snarky. Interesting.' Another smirk. 'If you were going to change, don't mind me.'  
  
Stepping away from the door, Yunho approached Changmin slowly, crossing the short distance between them.  
  
'Uh...'  
  
And there he was, right in front of Changmin, leaning forward slightly. Changmin swallowed again but refused to look away. He didn't know what Yunho was up to, but he was not going to look scared in front of him. He was Shim Changmin, in-demand star performer of one of the biggest clubs in Japan and he had plenty of powerful patrons who would pretty much do anything for him.  
  
He held Yunho's silent gaze defiantly.  
  
Yunho took a step forward, and another.  
  
Before Changmin knew it, he felt the edge of his dressing table bump against his ass. Yunho cocked his head to the side and grinned.  
  
'Weren't you in the middle of something? Pretend I'm not here.'  
  
He slowly turned Changmin around so he faced the mirror, his hands still frozen on the buttons of his shirt..  
  
Changmin stared at his reflection and the reflection of the man beside him. The man was still smirking, _and he looked so hot, damn it!_  
  
'You seem to have forgotten how to unbutton your shirt.'  
  
  
Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands envelope his own, fingers lacing themselves through his. Changmin's mouth dropped open and he tried to pull away.  
  
'What are you...'  
  
'Shush. Remember, I'm not here.'  
  
With that, the long, slim fingers of the man beside him started guiding his own down the row of buttons on his shirt. Unbuttoning each one, one-by-fucking-one.  
  
Changmin could feel his heart pounding frantically against his chest. He hoped Yunho couldn't feel his nervousness. He would not let his emotions get the better of him, _no fucking way_. _Two can play this game_.  
  
His shirt fell open, exposing his chiselled torso and row of abs. Yunho's fingers were still laced around his own. He felt the man's sharp intake of breath at the sight and knew, _my turn now._  
  
Turning around swiftly, he brought his face close to Yunho's, feeling the other's breath on his lips. Then he raised his hands to his collar, a smile tugging playfully at the corner of his lips.  
  
He slowly pulled the shirt off his shoulders, one sleeve at a time. All the while keeping eye contact. Yunho was flustered now, he could tell from the way his chest rose and fell as the pace of his breathing increased.  
  
He took a step forward, almost brushing the tip of his nose against Yunho's. The almost-contact made Yunho take a step back. Changmin took another step, keeping the proximity close, letting his lips fall open slightly. Yunho's gaze shifted from his eyes to his lips and then back to his eyes again. A flash of what seemed like uncertainty appeared fleetingly in the other's eyes. Changmin gave himself an internal fist pump at that. _Not that easy now, huh?_ He couldn't help but smirk again, noticing that he was making the other uncomfortable.  
  
Turning things up a notch, he licked the corner of his lips slowly. The shirt was off now and he was standing a hair's breadth away from Yunho, topless. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Yunho had started fidgeting slightly, but his dark eyes remained defiantly locked onto Changmin's. Changmin was impressed, he had not yet met anyone who could withstand what he could do with his teasing. By now, his powerful Japanese patrons, men who would usually have no qualms doling out violence, would have been whimpering at his feet.  
  
And then the tables turned again.  
  
Yunho did not get his 'King of Triads' reputation for nothing. He blinked and broke the eye contact. Then he looked back up at Changmin, renewed steel in his eyes. Changmin's eyes flickered hesitantly.  
  
Leaning forward, Yunho brought his lips close to Changmin's right ear, gusts of warm air circling his lobe. He brought his right hand up to Changmin's face, draping the back of his hand casually across Changmin's cheek. He felt the man quiver beneath his touch.  
  
His right hand continued drifting down the man's face.  
Down his torso. _Ah, his nipple was hard, and probably not just because he was topless_.  
Across his abs. _Mmm._  
On top of his belt buckle. _Bingo._  
  
'Let me help you.' He whispered.  
  
Changmin swallowed again. His big, doe eyes staring right into Yunho's almond ones. He was feeling really nervous now, or was it excitement? He couldn't tell. He was using up all his energy just to temper down his emotions, so he wouldn't _lose_. He _couldn't lose_. Steeling himself, he tilted his head to the side and licked his lips again.  
  
'I don't need your help.'  
  
'Too late.'  
  
Changmin felt his belt give way and the top of his pants were unzipped. _OH MY GOD_.  
  
'What...' A long finger was pressed against his lips. His eyes flickered from the finger to Yunho and back to the finger again.  
  
Yunho brought his lips close and kissed the other side of his finger.  
  
'Remember, I wasn't here.'  
  
A wink, and then Yunho left the room, as silently as he had come in.


	3. Tense: 1C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shim Changmin is a performer who has established himself as one of the top in the showbusiness industry in Japan. He gets hired to perform at a new club in Korea where he meets a certain Jung Yunho, who is as mysterious as he is powerful. But Shim Changmin did not get to where he is by being easily frightened by people such as him...

Changmin shrugged off his leather jacket as he made his way into his hotel room; his home for the next 3 months. When Club Tense had engaged him to perform as their resident act for their launch, they had also taken care of his accommodation. He was being put up in a suite at the top-end Peninsula Hotel, Seoul. Perks of being well-known enough, he supposed.  
He rubbed his temples gingerly, still feeling shaken from the close encounter with Yunho in his dressing room.

  
_How did the man get in without him knowing? Who exactly was he?_

He had tried to sound the Tense boss out before he left work, but the boss had been nowhere to be found. All he knew was that Yunho was definitely a big-time _someone_. Well, he knew how to deal with those kinds of people - I mean he had his own list of yakuza patrons in Japan. He just wished he knew _just exactly what Yunho was up to_. He wasn't used to being caught off-guard, especially by someone so quietly dominating like Yunho. Just mere eye contact with him was already enough to send a flicker of nervousness down his spine.

Changmin shook his head as if to clear his mind of his thoughts.

A hot bath. That was what he needed. Then maybe room service and bed.

He headed for the bathroom and its accompanying jacuzzi. Perks, he grinned inwardly to himself, as he ran the bath.

An ice bucket of champagne, grapes and a glass sat beside the tub. He peeked at it and crooked an eyebrow. Well, the Peninsula was the Peninsula for a reason or maybe one of his regulars had sent it to him as an 'I Miss You' present. Once, he found a Rolex watch waiting for him at the concierge of his apartment building in Tokyo, courtesy of a client who was trying to get into his pants.

Pfft, as if he could be _bought._ He wore the Rolex whenever he knew the client would be appearing at one of his shows though, it was only polite. Draw a line and stick to it, he murmured out loud.

Yes, wise words.

He rubbed a hand languidly across his neck and pulled off his shirt. Immediately, flashbacks of the dressing room encounter crossed his mind.

_His hands.  
His voice._   
_His touch._

He shook his head quickly and swallowed. Damn it, even in his room, _his_ presence wouldn't leave him alone.

He pulled off his jeans and boxers and stepped slowly into the water. As the jets started pummelling his back and steam rose, he sighed and relaxed into the bath. It had been a long time since he was last this troubled over someone. Anyone, really. In his line of work, he was used to being seen as property. After 5 years in the business, he had learnt the hard way, how to toughen up and harden his heart. Feelings were a liability in showbiz, as his former mentor said curtly, after Changmin had showed up at his doorstep, drunk over yet another affair which had ended in heart-wrenching despair.

' _Accept their love, it's good for business. But the fool's on you, if you think it's solely yours.'_

Chastened, Changmin had gone about his merry way, living and receiving, but no longer giving in return. He enjoyed his job, it allowed him to perform on stage, but most of all, it allowed him artistic freedom. He composed, choreographed and scripted his shows, each running for about 3 months at a time. And the money he earned, not to mention the tips, were enough to let him pursue whatever he wanted in his downtime; collecting wines and travelling.

Except for relationships. Relationships don't fit in easily in the month-long breaks he had in between show runs. The rest of the time, he was busy working and rehearsing. Fair enough, he didn't need the companionship anyway.

Or so he thought.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of loneliness break through his steam-induced haze. He closed his eyes and sighed. Forget dinner, he would go straight to bed after this. Sleep was good, it shut the mind off.

-

**♫ _'_ A-reum-da-un nae yeo-in-a. Nae-ge-ro wa. Meom-chweo-beo-rin nae shi-gan-gwa shim-jang-do dol-lyeo-nwa.. ** _'_****   


  
His eyes sprung open and he sat up in the tub, looking around.

Music? Was this another feature of a Peninsula suite?

He froze and listened intently. Was it his imagination?

-

**♫ _'_ Ha-neur-e-da down down down bir-eo nae-ryeo-jweo. Neol o-neul geu-nyeo-reul nae-ryeo-jweo..'**

He grabbed a towel and stepped quietly out of the bathtub. If there was an intruder, he needed to have words with Peninsula's security. But strangely, he wasn't afraid. A name surfaced in his consciousness.

_Yunho_.

-

He had left the bathroom door slightly ajar. Now, he pressed his body to the wall and carefully peeked through the gap into the room.

Yes, music was playing. In the expanse of his suite, a figure stood, outlined by the moonlight that was shining through the windows. His broad shoulders were familiar, the figure looking out into the Seoul skyline.

 

He had recognised that shape immediately, albeit too fast for his liking. He scowled and curled his right hand into a fist.

 

What was Yunho doing here? No, wait. HOW did he get in again?

 

'I have my ways.' a soft murmur cutting through the silence. Changmin stifled a groan. He had spoken out loud again.

-

'How did you get in?'

Silence.

 

'What do you want?'

'Don't you know?'

'I..'

Changmin looked down and bit his lip nervously. His mind was in overdrive, trying to fight the flight response that was currently threatening to overwhelm his body and lock himself in the bathroom.

It was both fear and attraction, he never had those two feelings mix before. He had never felt so wary and yet so attracted to someone before. Was he dreaming? Maybe he had passed out in the bath and this was just a dream.

-

'Changmin.' A whisper, too near for comfort.

 

Changmin looked up and gasped. Yunho was right beside the door, his fingers wound around the edge, inches away from Changmin. He could smell the other's cologne as the scent slithered into his senses. Enticing.

 

'Come out.'

'Is this an order?'

'No. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do.'

-

'Tell me who you are.'

'Let me in first.'

 

Well.

-

Changmin was annoyed now. More annoyed than afraid. Still attracted but this was too much. The man had invaded his privacy and personal space _twice._ Not only that, this time he was naked except for a towel wrapped loosely around his waist.

And his body was beginning to react to the strangeness, the sexiness and even the bossiness of everything.

DAMN IT.

-

'I don't know who the fuck you think you are. If you think you can just _take_ me, you're wrong. This is a game which I will win. Because I play it every goddamn day, just to survive.' Changmin almost snarled as he fought back his emotions.

Silence.

 

'What if I told you that this time, I intend to win,' came the husky response.

-

And the last thing that flashed before his cry of surprise was stifled by the feel of the other man's lips against his, was the door opening as he was pressed into the corner, Yunho's eyes fiercely locked onto his.   

**♫ _''_** **Da-shi nae gyeot-eu-ro wa, o-neul. Da-shi nae gyeot-eu-ro wa, o-neul. Na-eui ga-seum-eul jom jeok-shyeo-jweo.'**   



	4. Battle

  
  


Changmin struggled furiously, thrashing beneath the man who was now pinning him to the wall. Yunho's eyes were closed as his tongue pushed against Changmin's shut lips. Changmin could feel his towel unravelling dangerously low on his hips. Panic rose in his throat as his mind whirled in a haze of thoughts.

Fighting for dominance, Changmin opened his mouth and bit down. Hard.

He could taste copper on his lips as Yunho gasped in shock and lifted himself off of him.

He panted slightly and frowned down at Changmin.

'You're a wild one, aren't you?'

'Fuck you.' Changmin spat out.

There was a small dribble of blood on Yunho's bottom lip where Changmin's teeth had cut it. It stained his lip a glossy red, tantalising. Changmin tried to stop staring at it- when the fuck did blood look so appealing? - and focus back on the man whose hands were still gripping onto his wrists.

'That's the point.' Yunho snarled. 'Don't tell me you have never slept with a patron before.'

'I'm not a whore. And you're not my patron. And never will you be.' Changmin snapped.

'I never said you were one. Looks like you need to learn some manners. Do you know what happens when people say no to me?'

Yunho's eyes were steel as he stared the other down. The blood from his lip dripped down onto Changmin's chest. His eyes followed it as it trailed slowly down onto the bud of his nipple. Decorating it.

Changmin glared back at the man. His body was beginning to betray him. Fuck. He had slept with some of his patrons back in Japan but for some unknown reason, he didn't want this to be one of those kind of encounters. Fuck it.

His towel slipped and Changmin took that moment to slam Yunho back into the door and pin the other down instead.

'I'm taking you instead.'

Yunho's eyes flared up for a second and then crinkled with amusement. He eyed Changmin's toned naked body slowly - his long legs, his erect dick, the flat panes of his torso, his slightly muscled arms. And he knew he wanted to be the one to claim that instead.

'Not if I can help it.' And he flipped them over and reversed their positions, lips crashing against Changmin's again.

Yunho walked Changmin backwards out of the bathroom, edging towards the bed. Changmin's arms were held behind his back in an armlock, thrashing furiously in the man's grip.

He bit down hard on Yunho's lip, causing a trickle of blood to come out. Yunho cursed and pulled away. Changmin took the opportunity to shove Yunho into the table, knocking over the vase of flowers.

Yunho grunted and pushed himself off the ground. He grabbed at Changmin and growled into his ear, biting down on his lobe. Changmin turned swiftly and pushed Yunho onto the bed. He climbed over him and dipped his head down, licking at his bloodied lip.

Yunho reached up and pushed Changmin's head towards him, causing the other to squirm in objections. Their tongues clashed again and Changmin ended up below him.

'I like it when you're below.'

Changmin growled and pulled at Yunho's clothes.

'Strip before I tear your clothes off.'

'They're expensive.'

'Like I fucking care.'

And then he looked up and stopped, startled, as though winded.

Yunho's body was sculpted, chiselled and tanned. Muscular in the right places, broad shoulders that curved downwards into a huge koi tattoo that indicated the gang he owned. And his cock, his cock hung proudly and stood, bobbing tauntingly at him.

_How the fuck am I gonna fit that in me? Wait, what the fuck. Who says I'm gonna bottom?_

His train of thought teetered and stalled as Yunho dove at him, pinning him down on the bed.

'Let yourself go, Changmin. I don't want to hurt you.'

'Fuck off, if you think you can hurt me.'

They crashed their mouths together again, Changmin locking his legs high around Yunho's waist, cocks rubbing eagerly against each other. Changmin was sure he had never felt so turned on before. He wanted Yunho, he wanted Yunho bad.

With a heave, Yunho swept Changmin up in his arms and slammed his back against the wall. He kissed his way down his neck to the bottom of his throat.

'Give in.'

'No.'

He bit down hard, making the other cry out.

'Give in.'

He stuck a finger in his mouth.

'Last warning.'

'No.' Changmin spat back.

Yunho felt around for the ring of muscles in Changmin's ass.

'You asked for it.' And pushed in, making Changmin scream.

He cupped Yunho's face in his hands and pushed the man's head into his chest, almost delirious with pain and pleasure.

'I want you.'

'I know.'

Yunho fell onto the bed and let Changmin roll on top of him. Changmin spread his legs and pushed his cock into Yunho's mouth. Yunho opened wide and sucked eagerly at it, using the chance to push a few more saliva-lubricated fingers into Changmin's hole.

Changmin gasped, blinded by lust and want.

'I hate you.'

He rolled off Yunho and pumped his weeping cock, eyes rolling back from the sheer pleasure he was feeling. Yunho climbed over him, cradling him in his arms. He lined up his cock against Changmin's hole and whispered,

'Show me.'  
  
And then he thrusted in, filling Changmin up to the brim, making him scream again.

  
Their mouths fought again, the taste of copper thick against their lips, fingernails scratching the other, leaving red trails on their skin. With each thrust, Changmin came close to coming, his dancer's flexibility helping him to spread his legs even wider to encompass Yunho's length even more. Yunho reached down and started pumping Changmin's cock in time.

With a shout, Changmin came all over his and Yunho's torso. Yunho soon followed suit, coming deep within Changmin, thrusting even as both shook from their orgasms.

Yunho tried to withdraw but Changmin clenched his thighs tightly, not letting the man pull out.

'Why, old man? Can't take another round?'

Yunho felt his semi-hard cock bob up again at the taunt.

'Maybe it's you who won't be able to.'

The next morning, Changmin woke up to pain in his back and spots throbbing over the rest of his body, evidence to the various wounds and marks that Yunho had given him.

He looked around the room and smirked as he eyed the half-pulled down curtains, the spilt vase of flowers on the table and the broken table lamp.

Yunho came out of the shower, stark naked. Changmin licked his lips at the sight, noting with satisfaction at his own inflicted marks on the other.

'I hope you're paying for this.'

'Don't worry, baby. I'll take care of it.'

'I'm not your baby.' Changmin snapped back, getting up and standing up, right in Yunho's face.

'Careful.'

'Why?'

'I'm not sure you can handle Round 6.'

'Fuck you.' Changmin said as he lunged at Yunho, the man's arms catching him as he locked his legs around his waist.


	5. Aftermath

Changmin shakes his bangs out of his head as the minutes count down towards showtime. The stagehands bustle around him but none disturb him - used to his pre-stage routine of sitting quietly by himself, head down, going through the choreography and set-list in his head.  
  
An assistant nearby coughs and Changmin looks up.  
  
'He just arrived.' Changmin nods in acknowledgement, before returning his gaze to the ground.  
  
Well, as expected. The slight uncertainty he had been feeling beforehand disappears in an instant. He does not know why he had it in the first place. But there's no time to question it now. He stands and stretches, unexpectedly finding a sudden lightness added to his movement.  
  
 _Quit it, Shim_. He sternly tells himself. _Focus_.  
  
Outside, the waiters hover nervously around the VIP table in the middle of the hall.  The owner himself had deigned to come out from his office just for the man that was seated in the prime spot, who was now deep in conversation with one of his entourage. He clears his throat.  
  
'Mr Jung.'  
  
Yunho looks up and smiles.  
  
'Mr Kim. Please join me.' The owner nods his head and quickly sits down, gesturing at a waiter for a bottle of champagne.  
  
A small commotion is heard at the door to the hall and Mr Kim turns, frowning. Then his frown disappears, and he apologises quickly to Yunho, promising to return, before getting up and going over to the source.  
  
Curious, Yunho turns. And immediately, his face stills. It is Choi Siwon. Son of the Haeyun Consortium and one of the Jungs' biggest rivals.  
  
He motions to his assistant.  
  
'Find out why Siwon is here.' The assistant nods and leaves, taking out his handphone.  
  
'Ah, Yunho. I've missed you.' Siwon's voice is loud and cheery, a smile broadly imprinted on his face. Yunho and him had been acquainted since young, mixing in the same social circles and attending the same schools. But there was always a clear distinction and rivalry between their families, one that both men inherited. Where Yunho believed in being low-profile, Siwon was his high-profile counterpart, preferring glitz and glamour and outright charm. They were civil to each other in public, but in private, Yunho disliked Siwon for his flamboyant ways.  
  
He noted the pretty escorts in Siwon's entourage and smirked inwardly.  
  
'Siwon. It's been awhile, although I'm sure, you haven't _really_ missed me that much.' Yunho knowingly quirks an eyebrow at the women.  
  
Siwon acknowledges it with a grin of his own.  
  
'I can share one with you. Take your pick.'  
  
The lights on stage dim for the opening of the night's performance. Yunho finds himself getting excited.  
  
'No thanks, keep them for yourself.'  
  
\--  
  
Changmin slides on stage as the opening chords of 'Smoky Heart' sound out. He is dressed in a tight-fitting leopard print suit with leather shoes that have been polished until they shone. His hair is immaculate and his skin is glowing. He looks good and he feels it. The practiced ease  and smoothness with which he performs comes through to the audience, and everyone is enraptured. He looks towards the middle, where Yunho is sitting, chin in his hand, staring at him intensely. Changmin smirks and uses the chance to lick at his upper lip, shooting a knowing glance right at the other. It had been a couple of intense months of fucking, impromptu make-out sessions after shows and wining and dining. Changmin was not sure what to call Yunho - he refused to call him a patron and they had left it at that. All the benefits of patronship, without the label. Changmin was not sure what difference that made, but for some reason, it seemed important that Yunho was _not_ a patron.  
  
Yunho is mentally undressing Changmin when Siwon's breathy remark next to him snaps him out of his reverie.  
  
'Wow, I wonder how it'd be like to have him on his knees in front of me.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'The performer. He's sex on legs. And I bet he'd be just that on me.' Siwon winks and turns back to the stage just as Yunho's assistant places a restraining hand on Yunho's arm before the man lunges out at him. It would not be good for business if the Jung and Choi heirs fought in public over a show performer.  
  
Yunho swallows his anger and clenches his fist tightly.  
  
He does not enjoy the rest of the show, distracted instead by Siwon's catcalling and dirty remarks directed at Changmin. By the end of the night, he is upset and it shows. Changmin had realised it from the stage, first from Siwon's hoots and then the furious looks that Yunho was given, simmering silently in his seat. His entourage too, had closed up around him, ensuring a buffer between the two tables. Mr Kim, the owner was also standing at the side with bouncers, ready for a fight, having been alerted by his ever-watchful staff. The tension in the air was thick and Changmin was glad when his show finished. But he was annoyed and he did not know why.  
  
He shot one more glance at the two men behind him before he left the stage.  
  
\--  
  
There was a knock on his dressing room door, causing Changmin to pause. It was unlocked as usual, waiting for the entry of a certain man before two others took their positions outside and ensured privacy for the next hour. So Changmin found it odd that this time Yunho had chosen to knock.  
  
He looks up just as Siwon enters the room, his own two bodyguards taking positions at the door behind him.  
  
'Good evening Mr Shim. I must say, you were a vision out there.'  
  
Changmin swallows nervously, he can see where this is going. But he steels himself and returns Siwon's greeting with a smile of his own.  
  
'Thank you Mr Choi. I aim to please.'  
  
Siwon steps closer, a cheeky grin full of unspoken promises, plastered on his face.  
  
'I hope it means you wish to please me.'  
  
He reaches out and grabs Changmin's chin, thumb caressing his cheek.  
  
'And you're beautiful. More beautiful close-up. I can see why Jung was so annoyed by me.'  
  
He chuckles softly, letting go of Changmin. His breath is warm against Changmin's face, and Changmin squirms uncomfortably.  
  
'Is he your patron?'  
  
Changmin starts, and then stops. If he says yes, it is an unspoken code of conduct amongst patrons that they should respect each other and their rights to the services of their chosen hosts. But Yunho had never broached the topic to him, and he himself had refused to address Yunho as such. Now he wished they had. It would make things so much easier. He was not sure Yunho would like how Siwon was talking to him right now.  
  
Siwon sees through Changmin's silence.  
  
'I guess that's a no, then. Funny, I would have expected Yunho to snap you up straight from the start, from the way he was so pissed at me.'  
  
Changmin feels his heart beat faster at that.  
  
Yunho? Yunho was affected by Siwon? Did that mean.. did that mean he was jealous?  
  
'How about it Mr Shim? I was with incredibly beautiful women today, but I chose to ignore them for you. I can give you anything you want, just say the word.' Siwon is inches away from Changmin's lips, but Changmin is looking towards the side, he has dealt with such men before but none as powerful as Choi Siwon. And especially not when he was already 'taken' by another equally powerful man, Jung Yunho.  
  
\--  
  
Raised voices from outside the door give Changmin a respite from Siwon's dominating presence as the man turns.Changmin takes the opportunity to slip away to the side, breathing in relief.  
  
The door slams open and Yunho storms into the room.  
  
'Get the fuck out, Siwon.'  
  
'Ah Yunho, we were expecting you.'  
  
'Stay away.' Yunho's voice is low and threatening. His own bodyguards are pressed closely up against Siwon's men at the door, staring them down in turn.  
  
'There's no need for such dramatics. Changmin doesn't have a patron. I am allowed to woo him, as you know.' Siwon crooks his neck, quirking an eyebrow.  
  
Yunho shoots a look at Changmin. A look that seemed to be asking him for permission.  
  
'He doesn't have one. Yet.'  
  
'Ah, then clearly you know the rules. We both have a chance, Jung.' Siwon's voice is serious now, he walks close to Yunho, breathing in his space.  
  
Tapping his shoulder with a finger, Siwon leans in close.  
  
'Careful. Don't play with fire.'  
  
At that, he turns and blows a kiss at Changmin. Then he leaves the room, motioning to his bodyguards to follow.  
  
Yunho and Changmin stare at each other, wordless in the aftermath.  
  
\--  
  
He presses Changmin close to the wall, not even waiting unti the door of the room was shut before slamming the other against it.  
  
'What the fuck, Yunho?' Changmin pants, desire weakening his resolve and own irritation.  
  
'What?' The other's mouth is against his neck, biting.  
  
'You don't own me. Don't act so possessive and jealous and then take it out on me.'  
  
'Do you like Siwon, were you considering his offer?'  
  
'What the? Fuck off. He came into the room and barely five minutes later, so did you.' Changmin murmurs, head tilted high to give Yunho more access.  
  
'You're the one that refuses to let me be your patron. If you did, this would not have happened.'  
  
Changmin shoves Yunho angrily away.  
  
'Fuck off. Is that what this is about? You want to be my patron? You want me to be a kept man and ensure I'm yours?'  
  
Yunho storms back towards him, clutching his wrists tightly.  
  
'Stop it. That's how it works, you know this. It ensures things like tonight doesn't happen. It's when you refuse, and I just go along with it, that it DOES happen. If I'm your patron, Siwon doesn't stand a chance.' Yunho growls against his ear, shooting out his tongue to lick at it.  
  
'Tell me why you don't want me as your patron? Are you waiting for someone else? Someone who's not me?'  
  
Changmin feels frustration building up but he is horny and he wants Yunho now. He wants to tell Yunho why, just why he doesn't want him as his patron, but annoyance blocks his mouth.  
  
'Fuck you. You don't know anything, you asshole.' Clashing his open mouth against Yunho's, he hoists himself up so that his legs are spread around the other's waist. He shoves his tongue down Yunho's throat, sucking, nibbling, licking for dear life.  
  
Yunho carries Changmin over to the bed and drops him unglamourously on it. Both fumble about with their belts and pants, pulling everything off. Yunho climbs over Changmin and pins him back now.  
  
'All I know is that you, you drive me crazy. Even if I am your patron, I will never be able to own you. I can own your body, Shim. But I will never own -you-. We both know that. Are you sure I don't know anything now?'  
  
Changmin pauses for a second, eyes bright, staring into the handsome, rugged face of the man that he has been fucking for the pas few months. For some reason, Yunho's words resonate deeply inside of him. He feels himself weakening further. He quickly stuffs two fingers in his mouth and slicks them with saliva. Then he spreads his legs wide and preps himself quickly, kissing Yunho again to stop him from saying anything else. Soon, he shoves himself down hard, on Yunho's cock, letting the physical pain from that, stop the emotions in their track.  
  
In the hot and sticky aftermath of their release, Changmin curls himself up against Yunho's side, the other having fallen asleep. He feels the raised bump of a hickey on his collarbone and stares up at the ceiling in a daze.  
  
 _Men like me cannot be weak. Especially not for their customers._


	6. Turmoil

It started with roses in his dressing room. And then champagne and expensive Russian caviar. Then jewellery.   
  
With every gift, Yunho seethed. He got one of the staff to take the presents away before he arrived. Changmin did not care for the presents but a part of him was slightly pleased that Yunho responded this way. Maybe, too pleased. It was probably why he didn't directly refuse the other suitor.   
  
That night, Yunho could not come to his show, work having demanded his attention. As an apology, he had fucked Changmin into the bed last night and this morning, leaving the man with an ache that would probably last until he next saw Yunho. Not that he minded, but strangely, he felt himself missing the man's presence. Weird.   
  
He went to the bar outside and got himself a drink. Nothing alcohol wouldn't numb.   
  
'People like you shouldn't be drinking alone in bars like this.' a voice, husky and familiar spoke up next to him.   
Changmin smirked inwardly, shaking his head slowly.   
'Mr Choi.'   
'Siwon.'  
'Okay, Siwon. You forget that people like me work in places like this.'  
'No wonder I keep coming here then.'  
  
Changmin quirked an eyebrow and looked up.   
'You haven't been accepting my presents. I assume there must be a reason.'  
Changmin grinned and held up his glass as a toast before sipping from it.  
'A reason that starts with a 'Y'. That bugger. I didn't know Shim Changmin had exclusive patrons now.'  
  
A sudden rush of indignance washed over him.   
'Yunho isn't a patron.'  
'Ah. You call him Yunho and not Mr Jung? Then what is he? More than a customer?'   
'He is.. He is a friend.'  
'A friend? He pays for your time. The attention he gives you? It comes with your fees, part of which go into your pocket every month. Tell me which friend does that?'  
  
Changmin pauses, a rebuttal halted midway on his tongue. His mind whirls. He had never asked Yunho before about payment but suddenly it made sense. Why the club let Yunho in and out so easily, why Yunho could take him out after work, why the staff deferred to Yunho. Yunho had refused to tell him about his relationship with the club but he had guessed that he was someone important and rich. Was this why? He was a rich fucker who was just buying Changmin?  
  
His silence must have been obvious. Siwon slid closer to Changmin, his hand brushing against the other's cheek. His fingers caressing his chin before he turned the other's face towards him.   
  
Siwon leaned closer.   
'I would never pay for your time, Changmin. If you would let me, I would be your patron but I would demand your exclusiveness so you would never have to answer to anyone else. You're beautiful and you deserve to be treated better.'  
  
Changmin's eyes blurred, a mixture of confusion and uncertainty as he stared back into Siwon's bottomless black ones. He remained quiet.   
  
Still quiet as Siwon's lips pressed up against his. Then he pushed the other away and bowed his head slightly before quickly leaving.   
  
Siwon smirked and downed what was left in Changmin's glass.  
'Ah, another kiss from Shim Changmin.'  
He beckoned towards one of his men who was waiting in the shadows.   
'You took a picture right? Make sure Jung sees it.'  
  
\---  
Changmin was back in his hotel room, murmuring to himself and contemplating his glass of wine when a flurry of knocks sounded at his door.  
  
He wondered briefly if it was Siwon as he got up to open the door.   
  
Yunho stormed past him and slammed the door shut, walking to the bottle of wine and taking a swig directly from the mouth.  
  
'What the fuck?' Changmin spat out.   
  
Yunho slumped in the recently-vacated chair, holding his head He took another swig from the bottle and stared hard at the carpet.  
  
Changmin felt a slight worry rise up in his chest. He walked slowly towards the man who was hunched over, breathing heavily.  
  
'Yunho? Yunho?' No response.  
  
He neared the man and knelt down in front of him. Cautiously, he moved his hand to rest on top of the other's.   
  
Changmin was getting more and more worried. His concern for the other outweighed any reservations he had over showing his feelings and he started unconsciously caressing the back of the other's hand with his thumb.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Yunho broke the silence.  
  
'I should be asking you what the fuck, Changmin.' He sighed deeply and reached for his phone. He tapped on the screen a few times and then left the phone face up on the coffee table. Confused, Changmin reached for it and .. saw a picture of the kiss Siwon had given him earlier that night, staring back at him.  
  
'I asked you so many times. I said. Let me be your patron. It would just be in name. I can't and I won't and I don't want to own you, Changmin. Not in that way. But it seems, you have other plans. I'm a fool. And the joke has been on me.' Yunho's quiet murmur shook Changmin out of his shock.   
  
'No, Yunho. It's not what you think...'  
'What? What am I to think? You kissed him, when everyone thinks you're mine. Do you know what that makes me? A laughingstock, that's what.'   
The hurt at those words hit Changmin like a slap. He sat back on his heels, winded. Affronted and hurt, he snapped.  
  
'You only care about yourself. I'm not stupid either. This has purely been about the money and the fucking. Don't think I don't know, Jung. You've made a deal with the club, you've paid for my time. This isn't anything serious. Siwon has every right to woo me. You say you don't want to own me, but you sure act like it. Don't try to come into my life, into my room and tell me what the fuck is up!'   
  
Yunho took another long gulp, eerily calm.  
  
'Paid? Whatever money I've paid, is to keep you safe and away from predators. It's not like Tense is clean and you bloody fucking well know that. Whatever time I've spent with you, was not paid for because I actually fucking respect you and your wishes. Unlike you.'  
  
Yunho turned so he was looking into Changmin's eyes. The glimmer of what seemed like hurt, just steely pain etched into the man's eyes, was something that Changmin had never seen before. He was stunned into silence, not sure of what to say and how to respond to the accusation. It hang in the air, twisting and turning.  
  
Yunho's words replayed in his head: Whatever money I've paid, is to keep you safe and away from predators. He wanted to ask why, to find out what for, to discover the truth.   
  
'I didn't fucking kiss him back. He kissed me.' Instead, Changmin's stormy response was like a knife, edged and sharp. His own words, swallowed underneath the guise of pride.   
  
Yunho looked sadly at him and shook his head slowly.  
  
'..Donghae said I was stupid. I am, aren't I?' Yunho stood up, and placed the bottle back on the table. He took out his wallet and a large wad of cash. Placing it on the table, he said, 'I guess I should pay you then. Thank you for your time, Mr Shim.' Turning, he walked to the door.  
  
Changmin saw red.  
  
He picked up the cash furiously and threw it at the door just as Yunho opened it.  
  
'FUCK YOU. I HATE YOU. I HATE YOU! TAKE YOUR FUCKING CASH WITH YOU, I DON'T NEED IT!'  
  
Yunho paused, but he didn't turn back. His shoulders were slouched and his head was bowed.   
  
'Goodbye Changmin.'  
  
Changmin felt tears well up unwillingly in his eyes. He grabbed the wine bottle and downed it in one slug.   
  
\---  
  
The next afternoon, Changmin woke up, hungover. He checked his phone and realised that there was a message from the club.   
  
'Dear Mr Shim,  
  
Mr Jung Yunho has informed us that he will no longer be returning to Tense for the time being. We are disappointed at the loss of his patronage as he was a very important friend of the club. The management would like to discuss the issue with you the moment you come into work today. In the light of this, we would also like to strongly suggest that you consider and accept the offer from Mr Choi Siwon to become your patron in Mr Jung's place. As our valued employee, we would not want to have you without a suitable patron as befitting of your status. Mr Jung had not been paying for your services but his patronage at the club had been more than enough to ensure that all other offers for you were unnecessary. However, in the light of the recent developments, we are no longer able to refuse these offers unless a patron is engaged. We are sure, that as an experienced hand in this industry, you are more than familiar with the requirements and necessities that come with the position. We look forward to discussing this in more detail later.'  
  
Changmin felt a wave of fury wash over him as he grabbed his phone in disbelief and threw it hard against the wall, breaking it into half.   
  
Over and over in his head, one name sounded.   
  
_Yunho._


	7. Tangible

  
It would cost Changmin 500 million won to break his contract, not including any potential damages that the club may decide to impose on him for ending his contract early.   
  
And for what reason? ' _Oh, I fell out of favour with someone really important and refused to accept another really important person as my patron.'_ Hah.  
  
Changmin holds his head in his hand, rubbing with his fingers. He had known that he would not have a choice or a say. The meeting with the club management had not gone well.   
  
'What offers?'  
 _'I am surprised, Mr Shim. I would have thought someone as experienced as you would have known. There were many substantial and important offers to be your patron but of course, none as valuable as Mr Jung's.'_  
'So he did pay for me.'  
 _'He paid to ensure you were left alone. He didn't have too, of that, I am definite you are aware. Once others, sensed Mr Jung's interest in you, they stayed away. But he still ensured the club was compensated for making an exception. Of that, we were very appreciative.'_  
'What do you mean?'  
 _'Mr Shim, I am surprised at your questions. Surely you must know that patrons are required to inform the club beforehand of any plans with their preferred outside of working hours. Not only that, they have to also ensure a minimum amount is kept monthly to upkeep the patronage. Now, you have been as free as a lark ever since your relationship with Mr Jung started, didn't you wonder why?'_  
'I am not aware that Mr Jung was my patron.'  
 _'Of course not. We understood his exclusive interest in you as well as his value to the club too much to insist on a declaration of patronage. Besides, Mr Jung made it clear we were not to press you for one too.'_  
'Who is Mr Jung and why is he so different? From what I understand, isn't Mr Choi in the same league as him? Why do I have to accept his patronage then?'  
 _'Ah that Mr Shim. Mr Choi is by all means in the same league as Mr Jung but he is definitely not Mr Jung. As such, we will not treat them the same. Mr Jung is dangerous when crossed and we will not seek to disrespect him in that way.'  
_  
  
Any further questions on Yunho's identity were then refuted and Changmin had been let with a day to consider Siwon's offer or face the consequences.   
  
Yunho.   
  
Bitterness swells up in Changmin's chest as he ponders the situation. He had not realised what Yunho had done for him; the protection he had been accorded. Yet, a sliver of something uncertain weaved itself through his thoughts - it tasted thick on the back of his throat.   
  
Who was Yunho? How dangerous was he?   
  
In the months he had spent with the man, he had only glimpsed the public side of him - official, upright, serious and guarded. But behind doors, Yunho was quiet, giving and caring. Fights that ended with light touches; soothing kisses everywhere on his sex-battered body; bruises licked with care. Dominance tampered with a knowledge that Changmin had the power, the full power to stop it anytime. But Changmin had taken it for granted, under the belief of a relationship based on money and superficiality.  
  
The sex was mind-blowing. Better than anything he had and he enjoyed spreading his legs, a wanton look in his eyes with lust and desire. For a man that did not have a specific preference to positions in bed, he enjoyed being pinned down by strong, muscled biceps. A black, floppy fringe tickling his cheek as dark brown almond eyes watched his every expression and reaction. His lips that curved into smirks as Changmin moaned and cried out as orgasm after orgasm hit.   
  
Was there anything more under the sex?   
  
Yunho's constant gazing at him. Possessive hand at his waist when they stood together in public yet respectful enough to not treat him like a woman. Changmin realised what it was he missed - equality. Despite who he was, Yunho treated Changmin like a partner. A partner who deserved to stand next to him.   
  
Fuck. He had no right to be Yunho's partner. Yunho, whoever he was, was a successful businessman who needed a proper partner by his side, not a show performer. And definitely, despite his previous yakuza patrons, something told him that Yunho was not like them. Possibly more dangerous. Doubt creeped in again.   
  
\---  
  
A knock at the dressing room door sounded. Changmin looked up as the door opened and a waiter from the club came in, bearing an expensive-looking wrapped box.   
  
'Mr Choi invites you to wear this tonight for the show. The message is that the club too, would expect the proper appreciation shown for his kind gesture.'   
  
Aka he would have to wear it.   
  
Changmin opened the box and stared as a red lace gown, tight-fitting like a glove, lay pristine and sparkling amongst the blue crepe paper that surrounded it.   
  
Fuck.  
  
The last time Changmin had cross-dressed was for an ex-patron in Japan, a long time ago. The man had then fallen in love with the persona he became when he was cross-dressing, the resulting obsession ended up hurting both Changmin and himself, and robbing him of whatever pride he had of himself as a man. Obsession which had led to anger and frustration whenever Changmin was not Jangmi (his persona's stage name) which then led to Changmin treated abjectly as a woman. He had then promised he would never cross-dress again to avoid the shame and memories.  
  
 _You are Jangmi. Marry me. No. No. Spread your legs. Dress like a woman. Don't speak of Changmin in front of me. I love you. I will give you everything. Stop entertaining the other man. Don't you know I hate it? I hate it. I'm insanely jealous. I live for you. I love you, Jangmi._  
  
I am Shim Changmin.  
I am a Man.   
This is my job.   
It is not my life.  
It is not who I am.  
  
\---  
  
But Siwon's present only made the difference between Yunho and himself painfully clearer. Choi Siwon would not see him as a partner?   
  
No. You're just a show performer. A toy for rich patrons. In the end, behind closed doors, who will be there to soothe your lonesome, used self?  
  
\---   
  
He bitterly picks up the dress and heads to the bathroom. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, he closes his eyes and like a movie, images float through his mind.   
  
\---  
 _You're beautiful.  
_  
Hands circling his nipples.   
Trailing down his abs.  
  
One  
By  
One.  
  
 **Yunho.**  
  
Pulling at the bathrobe tie, loosening it.  
As it falls open.  
A familiar hand, reaching for his cock, nestled amongst the hair.   
  
_Masterpiece._  
  
Breath warm against his nape, soft lips pressing kisses to his head.  
The other hand, tight against his hipbone.   
Tracing the curve of his sculpted torso, downwards.  
  
 _Perfection._  
  
Changmin moans as the images flick tantalisingly through his head, trickling down to his groin.  
  
 _Moan. Let me hear you._  
  
A low growl.   
  
His head thrown back against firm shoulders, a neck bared for light nibbles and licks.   
  
_This is how you look; this is how you undo me._  
  
Come for me, Changmin-ah.   
  
Come.   
  
And then he comes, hard, waking himself out of his stupor.   
Finding himself slumped against the dresser in the bathroom, his cum over his hand and thighs.   
And no Yunho to hold him through his ecstasy.   
  
The scarlet red of the dress stares mockingly up at him, rumpled in a heap on the floor.   
  
**No, you're not Changmin now, you're Jangmi tonight.**


	8. Limbo

Changmin had learnt from a young age that life sucked. You could be happy yes, but happiness was fleeting while reality wasn't. He had not been happy for a long time; maybe momentarily satisfied, but not happy. Not the kind of happiness that was deep and coloured your every breath. He has not had it, not since he was still blissfully tucked away under the shelter of childhood.  
  
The stagehand signalled to him, and Changmin looked up from his lap and gazed at his reflection in the mirror. Brown hair, and a beautifully-made up face stared back at him. He stood up and patted down his red dress and made for the door, leaving Changmin behind and taking his place as Jangmi for the next few hours.  
  
\---  
Siwon smirked proudly as he watched, mesmerised by Changmin. He felt his cock harden as his eyes moved up and down over Changmin's curves in the skintight red dress, the lace details hinting and teasing at the skin underneath. He took a sip of his whisky and caught the other's eye, winking.   
  
\---  
  
Changmin's expression was steely as he noticed Siwon, then his eyes flicked to the front row of the hall and up above to the second floor.   
  
Donghae.   
  
He remembered the celebrity as being one of Yunho's best friends. A tang in his heart at the thought of Yunho distracted him momentarily as he tried to see if he could spot the man. But no, it was just Donghae, and he did not look pleased.   
  
Donghae sat, face expressionless, watching the show below. He was leaning forward on his knees, taking in the scene. He had been on tour in Asia for most of the past few months that Yunho had been seeing Changmin but he had known that there had been something after that first night. Something that had torn and twisted Yunho inside and out, and then left him with the darkness that Donghae had not seen ever since the incident with his ex-girlfriend.  
  
Changmin. This was the Changmin that had caused it out. And he was dressed as a woman, teasing and tantalising others, while his best friend was..   
  
He called the manager over.  
  
"Kindly inform your boss that I would like to speak with Mr Shim after the show."   
  
\---  
Changmin tore into his dressing room, arm stretched backwards trying to unzip his dress. His performance as Jangmi had been a well-received surprise, and the managers had nodded in approval as they made sure to let him know that his new patron, Mr Choi, was in agreement with them. Changmin had done very well indeed.  
  
Past memories of his humiliation as Jangmi came flooding back tauntingly and Changmin felt a wave of nausea hit. He tried to swallow them away by chugging a shot of vodka and continued to pull at the zipper behind. He didn't hear the door open and close behind him amidst the roar of distress in his head.  
  
"Let me help you with that, my dear." Came a voice, slick and smooth, like a well-oiled machine. It was Siwon.  
  
His hand covered Changmin's and pulled the zipper down slowly. As the dress was skintight, Changmin was barenaked under it. He shuddered as Siwon's hand stopped at the top of the curve of his ass.   
  
"Please stop." He whispered, feeling sick.   
  
Siwon leaned forward, his breath ghosting over Changmin's shoulder and then behind his ear, where a tongue started licking lazily.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just.. I.." Changmin tried to inch forward but he was pressed uncomfortably again between Siwon and the dressing table.   
  
Then he heard another knock on the door.   
  
"Mr Shim, Mr Lee Donghae is here to see you."   
  
The door opened and Changmin's eyes widened in horror as he turned, to see Donghae staring in shock at Siwon and himself, dress undone and hand on his hip.  
  
"Wow, Changmin. I came to talk with you but I guess my questions have all been answered."  
  
Panic rose up in Changmin's throat as he caught sight of Donghae's expression.  
  
"No, Donghae, please. This is not what it looks like!" Changmin cried out, pushing Siwon away and clutching at the dress to prevent it from falling open.   
  
Siwon smirked. "My boy here is indeed popular. Even Lee Donghae himself is compelled to meet with him."  
  
Donghae's eyes shot to Siwon and narrowed furiously. "Your boy?"  
  
"As of a couple of days ago, I am now Shim Changmin's patron."   
  
"Wait, Dong.."  
  
"A patron? You have indeed moved fast, Changmin. Yunho was so very wrong about you. I understand everything now. He wanted to be yours, but you kept rejecting him. And now you have willingly become someone else's."  
  
 _What?!_  
 **He wanted to be yours.**  
  
Changmin felt his heart stop beating as the impact of those words crashed down one by one in his head.  
  
"Yes. Thank you for your concern, Mr Lee. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy what is mine."   
  
Donghae stared again pointedly at Changmin. There was something about the pain in his eyes that caused him pause. Changmin shook his head pleadingly at Donghae but he wasn't sure what was going on. Then he heard Siwon clear his throat and turned his attention back.  
  
"I understand. Have a good night."  
  
And it was all Changmin could do to not run after Donghae, watching his last link to Yunho disappear.  
\---  
  
Siwon was nothing like Yunho, especially not in bed. He was an experienced lover but an impatient one. Where Yunho had been dominating but unselfish, Siwon was aggressive and hasty.   
  
After Donghae had left, Siwon had taken Changmin back to a hotel room, not his own apartment, and Changmin was sure as hell not going to offer his own suite. He didn't have to sleep with Siwon so soon but he knew better than to refuse the man's advances, especially considering his state. And now, with Donghae having witnessed what went on earlier, it seemed like he really had no reason to anymore.  
  
Siwon had been hungry to taste Changmin but even more demanding for himself to be tasted. As he pushed Changmin onto his back and pulled his clothes off, Changmin had just lain there, unrespondin. Neither did Siwon seem to notice, he had been too eager to satisfy his own needs. There was hardly any kissing, just Changmin being flipped and being pushed into it roughly over and over until completion.   
  
Ruthless and brutal.  
  
Through it all, Changmin only remembered one sentence.   
  
_He wanted to be yours._  
  
Not for you to be his, but yours.  
  
\---  
  
Yunho sat, hand balled up in a fist, the other angrily pulling at his tie.   
  
Donghae sat next to him at the bar, nursing his own shot of soju.   
  
"Bro, you're better off. It was a stupid thing with someone you should have known better not to have anything with. People in that line, their patronships and everything. You're too good for that."  
  
"You said he seemed upset."  
  
"Well I told you what I saw. But at the end, it was a little weird. He was shaking his head at me, and looking like he would rather be anywhere than there. I don't think Choi even realised."   
  
Choi. Yunho felt his emotions rise higher at the mention of the name. Even more than it had been when Donghae had called, asking to meet him urgently.  
  
"Look bro, Changmin. I don't know what happened, or what is going on. But I care for you, and this thing with Changmin has jaded you all over again. Fuck man. It took you ages to get over the last one. And Choi, you sure you wanna mess with him?"  
  
Yunho finally turned to look over at his best friend who was watching him in concern. He smiled softly and squeezed the other's hand in gratitude.   
  
"I just need to make sure Changmin is okay with Siwon, and that will be the last. "   
  
Donghae chuckled, sipping his whisky.  
  
"Ha. Whatever it is, be careful, Jung. Be safe.   
  
"Oh, I always am."


	9. The Clincher

Yunho sat with his back to the door, fingers tapping a silent rhythm on his black crystal paperweight. Ho Jun, his right-hand man stood at attention near the door. Faint sounds of bustle could be heard, slowly getting louder as they neared the office.   
  
Then a knock.  
  
Yunho raised a finger, and Ho Jun opened the door.   
  
A man dressed in a dark grey suit with an oddly out-of-place Mickey Mouse tie came sauntering in. His chin-length light brown hair framed his sharp features well, and his long, thin fingers were tapping against each other in anticipation of the new assignment.  
  
"Mr Jung."  
"Heechul-hyung."   
"What's the deal?"  
"Ho Jun."  
  
Ho Jun stepped forward, nodding at Heechul as he handed over a piece of paper.   
  
Heechul looked at the paper, and smirked as he noted the contents, quickly memorising the relevant information. Then he handed it back to Ho Jun.   
  
"Choi huh? What has that family done to incur your wrath, Yunho?"  
  
An ordinary onlooker may have grimaced at the sudden drop of honorifics but Yunho and Heechul went way back since they first met as kids in school. Back then, Heechul was the rebellious senior that took care of the introverted junior who kept getting bullied. Then years later, when Yunho's true identity was revealed along with an offer of employment, their roles were reversed. Plus they were more than just boss and employee; they were friends. Good friends. Yunho kept his hands clean because Heechul did his dirty work. And in return, Yunho provided for Heechul. It was a relationship that worked very well. Heechul was loyal only to two people. Himself and Yunho. That made him the best "clincher" that Yunho had.   
  
Yunho was silent. Heechul ran through the information he had just memorised:  
  
 _Choi Siwon and Shim Changmin. Ensure Changmin is ok._  
  
"Oh, Yunho." Heechul sighed, shaking his head. He looked at Ho Jun, who merely shrugged his shoulders in mute resignation.   
  
"I know, hyung." Came Yunho's quiet reply.   
  
"Forget it. This won't be a job. Just promise you will be okay after I'm done."   
  
Yunho swiveled slowly around in his leather chair. His eyes were steely and his expression was stone-cold. A face that had meant serious business and intimidated many powerful figures before. But his close friends, Heechul, Ho Jun and Donghae knew better.  
  
"I will. Thanks, hyung."   
  
Heechul nodded and raised a hand casually towards Yunho as he turned to leave.  
  
\---  
  
Siwon stretched lazily as he woke up. He turned to his side, only to find the spot next to him empty. Looking around the room, he wondered whether the other was. Then he spotted the balcony doors open, and a lone figure standing outside, smoking.   
  
"I thought you didn't smoke." Siwon said as he stepped out to join the other.   
  
"I thought I didn't either." Came the reply, along with a puff of smoke.   
  
Siwon looked appreciately at the lithe figure next to him, dressed in a white bathrobe, with the drawstring tied loosely along his waist. His chest was exposed, showing the top of his abdominal area. The man's hair was messily flopped over his eyes; which were staring vacantly into the distance. Siwon felt his cock hardening as he drank in the sight.   
  
Changmin seemed to feel Siwon's eyes mentally undressing him, and swallowed, pushing away the dull ache in the depths of his chest. There was no choice, remember? Bed or bath?   
  
Bath. Where he could wash away the remnants physically afterwards, even if he still felt dirty inside.   
  
He looked at Siwon pointedly, schooling his features.   
  
"I'm going to shower."  
  
5 minutes, 10.. 15... minutes later, as he lay in the bathtub, back to the door, he heard it open behind him.   
  
Then he closed his eyes and waited.  
  
\---  
  
Siwon hurried to his car and got in, waving at his men as they got into the escort car behind. He had driven himself to the hotel with Changmin the night before and had done without a driver.   
  
He cursed a little under his breath, willing away his erection as he drove to his office in Gangnam. He punched in a number to his speed-dial and as it connected, he growled out.   
  
"How did someone get a hold of that file? Find out. Get the message traced. Now."   
  
\---  
  
Changmin waited, but the caress he was expecting didn't come.   
  
"Don't worry, pretty face. Siwon isn't here."   
  
Changmin almost jumped out of the bath in fright as he heard the unfamiliar voice and turned, pushing up against the bath away from the door.   
  
"Who.. who are you?"  
"Doesn't matter. Just know that I'm not a Siwon neither am I gonna hurt you."  
"What..? Wh.."  
"Don't ask so many questions. Just answer mine and we'll be fine."  
  
Changmin stared at disbelief at the good-looking almost feminine man that leaned against the door of the toilet, swirling a glass of whisky in his hand. Naked under the bath bubbles, he felt increasingly vulnerable. Was this some fucked up triad shit he had gotten himself into again?  
  
"I don't have to talk to you. If this is with regards to patronship or anything, in case you haven't heard, Choi Siwon is my patron" and that Changmin swallowed, almost needed to force the words out, "and he won't like what you're doing right now."   
  
"My, what a mouth. No wonder Yunho.."  
"Yunho?! Yunho?" Changmin felt his heart race and he stood up to get out of the bath, forgetting that he was naked.  
  
"Whoa. That's a fine body, definitely not questioning Yunho's taste." laughed the other appreciatively.   
  
"Well, Changmin. Go and get dressed and let's go somewhere else to talk."  
  
\---  
  
A few hours later and naught. Siwon slammed his desk in frustration, making the man who was kneeling in front of his desk cower in fear.  
  
"What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Mean. By. The. File. Is. Not. There?"   
  
"I...I don't..it was in our high-security vault.. We are trying to fi.."  
  
Siwon held up his hand in a "silence" gesture and kneaded his forehead. He gestured at the men standing next to him.   
  
"Take care of this useless creature."  
  
"No! No.. sir.. No, sorry!...!!! "   
  
The screams died out as the door closed behind them.   
  
Siwon turned to his secretary.  
  
"Find out what you can about the person that sent me the email and negotiate a time to talk business. Preferably on my turf but if he insists, a neutral ground."  
  
\---  
  
Yunho checked the message from the random number that had come in on one of the many phones he owned, nodding in satisfaction at the update  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Ho Jun came in, bearing a folder.   
  
"Heechul keeps outdoing himself."  
  
"One day, he'll get into trouble." Ho Jun sighed. "Choi won't let this go."  
  
"Don't worry. Not if he thinks it was me, not Heechul. I'll make sure of it."  
  
"And you, Yunho. Is this man really worth all this?"   
  
Yunho looked down at the folder, which contained the financial projections for Haeyun Consortium. He had considered this, the implications, the consequences and the risks.   
  
And over and over, only one thing came to the forefront of his mind.   
  
Changmin.  
  
His smile; his snark; his fight; his body, and most of all, his spirit.   
  
For the first time in his life, he felt he could really protect something. And that it would be worth it. Heechul, his family, his business, they didn't really need him. But this time..  
  
"Yes. He is."


	10. Stay

Changmin's fingers fiddled nervously with the hem of his shirt as he watched Heechul, that was the feminine man with the cold eyes' name, take a deep inhale of his cigar. He exhaled, the puff of smoke stinging Changmin's eyes, but he did not turn his face away. He knew better than to show _any_ sign of weakness; even though he was clearly very out of his element. Out of his comfort zone. Fuck, out of his mind, even for even getting himself in this predicament in the first place.  
  
He had always prided himself on his intellect and self-awareness. Knowing where and how to draw that delicate line between pleasing his patrons enough, well sometimes getting a good fuck out of it was a bonus, and keeping himself, his heart safe. There was that disastrous first time, but everyone had to have a starting point. And he had never let himself get hurt like that again, he had to know this well, after all yakuza didn't shy away from offing a rival, especially a love rival. And that was bad for business. But now, here, nearing a quarter into his contract with Club Tense, and he had let his heart get into way of business. Where a patronship was usually straight and clear-cut; it now crossed multiple lines and added tinges of _something dangerous_ to something that was dangerous enough.  
  
Changmin sighed. His sigh caught the attention of Heechul who smirked and took another puff of his cigar.  
"So. Let's do away with the small talk, Changmin. I don't like you."  
Changmin's eyebrows quirked up in surprise, not knowing how to respond.  
"And do you know why?"  
"Uh.. no.."  
"Because you hurt my family. And when family gets hurt, I get pissed."   
Changmin slumped back in his chair, tilting his head up towards the ceiling. Fuck.   
  
"Look, I didn't ask for you to come and save me. I don't know what your deal.."  
"Listen pretty face. I didn't ask for me to come and save you either. But Yunho did. And I can't say no to Yunho." and that, Heechul's hard expression seemed to soften but barely, before it returned to the steeliness that was before.   
"He wants you to be okay. So I have to make sure you're okay. Even though I think that's he's a fuckwit and you don't deserve it."  
Changmin nodded, he didn't. His heart ached at the mention of Yunho's name. A sour taste rose up in his mouth and he reached for the glass of whisky on his right.  
"But since you both are fuckwits, and I'm the most sensible one. I'm gonna do things my way. And if you care even an ion about Yunho, you're gonna be good and listen to me."  
Changmin looked up, a flash of anger at being talked to like that, crossing his features.  
"Excuse you.."  
Again he didn't get to finish, and he didn't get to finish because at the next words coming out of Heechul's mouth, he knew that every personal rule he followed and had followed since the beginning of his life in this business, would fade away as though they had never been there before.  
"Because of _you_ , pretty face, Yunho just threw his leadership in question and opened Jumon to what will probably be one of the biggest gang wars we will face in recent years since he took over."  
  
"Jumon?"  
Heechul crooked a sculpted eyebrow back at him.  
"You didn't bother finding out who was fucking you? Ever heard of 'The President'? Jumon Syndicate?"  
"What does the youngest ever chaebol heir in South Korean history have to do with the oldest triad in.. no.. it can't be..."   
Heechul rolled his eyes.  
"Uh-huh. Jung Yunho's 'The President' and head of both what is known as one of the biggest conglomerates today, Jungnam Inc. and by night, the oldest family-run triad, the Jumon Syndicate."  
  
\---  
  
They were to meet at 24:22 at an abandoned warehouse in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do; about 3 hours away from Seoul. Men belonging to both the underground arm of Haeyun Consortium and Jumon Syndicate had staked out the place for days before the meeting, combing it carefully for traps and ambushes. Now they lined the perimeter, waiting for their bosses to arrive for the showdown.   
  
Siwon gritted his teeth as he sat in his bulletproof Rolls-Royce; his assistant next to him, briefing him again of what they had found out. Kim Heechul, Jung Yunho's clincher had stolen the file containing the private off-shore accounts belonging to Haeyun Consortium; enough to get them into trouble with the South Korean government, and possibly bring down the company if found out. Especially their black market dealings. He growled again and slammed his fist down against the leather seat.   
  
**Choi,  
We have something you value.   
Value enough to make you change your mind about a person.  
Check your _personal_ vault.**   
  
And the tracing of the email had been easy enough, almost like they, no, Jung had wanted to be found. Of course it would be Jung. There was no one ballsy enough to take Choi Siwon and Haeyun Consortium on. Except Jung had no idea what he had just gotten himself into. Siwon sneered and barked out a command to his assistant.  
  
"Shim Changmin's background file. I want it and I also want everything recorded from the moment I step through that door. We are going to have a little show-and-tell."  
  
\---  
  
Yunho fingered his collar as he stood on the rooftop, waiting.  
He looked down at the shrubbery surrounding the warehouse, the silence of the night, felt the cold of the breeze. He knew exactly where each of his snipers were situated, a back-up for a back-up for a back-up. 3 different back-up plans. He hoped he didn't have to go beyond the first.  
  
His father had been stoic as his parents and sister left with an army of guards to their countryside home in Gwangju, away from Seoul earlier that evening.   
  
"I hope you know what you're doing, son."  
"I do."  
"I want you to come to Gwangju right after."  
"I will"  
  
\---  
  
The door to the rooftop open and Yunho heard footsteps stop hesitantly before making their way behind him.   
  
"Yunho..I mean.. Yunho-ssi?" coughed out a voice, as familiar as hot chocolate on a cold day. Yunho closed his eyes at the sound, hating himself for the way it could weaken him.  
  
"Changmin-ssi. I hope you're well?" Yunho answered, still not trusting himself to turn around. The night air was thick between the both of them, a silence that grew and twirled around them.   
  
"I am.. now." came the answer. Whispered.   
"I've arranged for you to return to Japan safely on the first flight out tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I must apologise. Tonight, you may be in danger, and you may see things that are not nice to see. But you will have to, whether you like it or not. And after that, you have your freedom and your safety. I promise you."  
"Yunho, I know. I know who you are. Heechul told me."  
..  
"Don't send me away."  
  
And then arms, arms and an embrace; a warmth that engulfed his soul and caressed his heart, a strength that gave him wings to soar. A pair of arms threw themselves around his waist, a head curled into the crook of his neck and a soft kiss pressed into the skin.  
  
"I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for being an ass."  
Turning around slowly, Yunho looked at the gorgeous man that stood before him, head slightly bowed but wide doe eyes staring up at him through long lashes. Eyes that spoke of apology, sadness, hope and flowed with an undercurrent of emotion. Affection.   
  
"I'm dangerous." began Yunho.  
"I don't care." came the swift reply.  
They stared at each other for long seconds and then, Yunho moved in, tilted his head, kissing Changmin as gently as he could. In that moment, he was just Jung Yunho; not the head of Jungnam Inc., nor of Jumon Syndicate. Just Yunho, a man who had lived on the edge almost his whole life, and was now experiencing a different kind of tension.   
Changmin gasped for air and leaned his forehead against Yunho.   
"Let me stay with you."


	11. Crossfire

The air was filled with tension so thick that it even felt hard to breathe. Men in suits lined both sides of the warehouse. The sole dirt path leading up to the place was lined with big 4x4s and two big luxury cars; one a Rolls-Royce and another, an Audi R8. All the way outside from the main road of the small town they were in, men lingered in groups. Quiet but alert. The residents of the town wisely stayed indoors, keeping their doors locked, windows closed.   
  
Waiting.  
  
Two men sat in the middle of the warehouse, facing each other across a steel table. One was dressed in a dark, patterned suit, and the other, a grey suit. The man in a dark, patterned suit gestured behind him and a file was slid into his hand.   
  
Siwon's eyes narrowed at the sight.   
  
"I never knew the Jungs would resort to petty theft one day." He snarled.   
  
Yunho smirked but did not bite.  
  
"I never knew the Chois had so much to hide."  
  
Siwon shot a glare at Yunho in response.  
  
Silence re-descended.  
  
Then Siwon gestured as well and a file was also slid into his hand.  
  
"Well, I have something you might be interested in, Jung."  
  
Yunho's eyes flickered for a moment before hardening again. His mind flashed to just half an hour before to when Changmin had held him close on the rooftop, pressing kisses into his neck, murmuring promises and reassurances into his skin.  
  
"Whatever happens, you have me. Yunho, you _have_ me." he had whispered urgently, over and over again.  
  
Feeling reassured, he stared blankly back at Siwon.  
  
"Is it worth for what I have?"  
  
Siwon smiled widely, as if he had been waiting for that very answer.  
  
"Indeed."  
  
\----  
  
In another room, Changmin sat alone, tense and worried. He wanted Yunho back in his arms, wanted them away from this warehouse, away from Siwon. Club Tense and its stages now felt worlds away as he sat in the middle of what could be one of the biggest gang-wars ever in South Korea's history and it was because of him. A lowly show performer who had made the mistake of falling in love with the leader of the fucking Jumon Syndicate. Well, not just a mistake, but yes, a huge colossal failure in terms of that it went against all his rules and principles and training and upbringing and..   
  
Changmin sighed and banged his head against the wall.   
  
"Anything but your pretty face, pretty face." said a familiar voice to his left.  
  
Changmin jumped in shock, he hadn't heard Heechul come in.  
  
The man was still smirking although his eyes seemed to be unfocused, also distracted by the on-goings in the main room of the warehouse. He might not like Changmin much but they both had one thing in common and that was Yunho. That was enough to make Heechul put up with Changmin, it appeared.  
  
He turned his head back to face the table-top.  
  
"Remember what we agreed on, Shim." Heechul spoke up suddenly.   
  
Images of his reunion with Yunho went through his mind - of him holding and kissing Yunho. Of the promises he had made.  
  
 **"Yunho, you have me. Okay? Please remember, no matter what happens. Remember, you have me."  
Yunho had looked at him curiously, questioningly.   
" _Please._ "  
Then he had nodded and leaned in to capture Changmin's lips again, his tongue reaching out to twirl around Changmin's.   
"Okay."**  
  
"Yes, I remember." He answered Heechul, still staring at the table-top.   
  
\---  
  
Hojun curled his hand tightly around the revolver hung on the belt around his waist, safety off. He ran through the plans they had strategised for the meet-up- Plan B(b), B(c). Plan C. FUCK. He looked around the warehouse, keeping sight of the exit routes and where the snipers were. Of course, where Siwon's own men were. He was still feeling annoyed from when Yunho had come down the stairs leading to the rooftop, with Changmin close behind him, and told him that they had to scrap Plan A as that had assumed Changmin would be far away from the warehouse and not still in Yangju for the encounter. He had almost shouted at his boss and close friend at that moment, or lunged for Changmin but he knew better. One could not change Jung Yunho's mind once it was made up, even at the risk of his own life.   
  
Fuck.   
  
Heechul had not been too happy either but he was seemed to be up to something. He had looked at Hojun and given him a long, hard glance. Something that made Hojun back off and now had led him to stand here, just behind his boss as he faced Siwon and his cronies.  
  
Fuck.  
  
And the that Siwon was saying... it was testament to Yunho's amazing self-restraint that he had not already beaten Siwon into a pulp.  
  
"So Shim Changmin. Show performer, born in Seoul but moved to Japan from young. Have you ever wondered how he became a show performer, huh, Jung? Do you know even anything at all about his past?" Siwon asked casually, flicking through the file he had.  
  
Yunho clenched his fist under the table but schooled his expression and tilted his head slightly.  
  
"Just get on with it before I decide that this is a waste of time."  
  
Siwon rolled his eyes before lowering his voice.  
  
"I ASSURE you, Jung. You will thank me for telling you before you decide to keep that boy of yours any closer."  
  
\---  
Shim Changmin. He was born in Seoul, South Korea but had moved to Japan with his parents when he was 5. Due to discrimination faced by Koreans in Japan at the time, his father had trouble finding work and ended up getting into huge debts as he got addicted to pachinko. Finally, one day, yakuza had turned up at the family's little flat, demanding their money. Just as they had finished beating his father up and was now turning onto his mother, a gleam in their eyes, Changmin had fallen to his knees and the leader of the yakuza had decided then that his mouth was .. good enough payment for now.  
  
And then he had become that man's companion. It was better, he figured, than his parents suffering. He was young enough and hopefully, the man would get tired of him once he found something prettier. The man liked visiting clubs though, and one night, he brought Changmin.  
  
And there, Changmin had seen a beautiful woman perform. She was gorgeous, tall and had a voice like smoke and fire. She was also the one that saved Changmin. His yakuza companion had taken him backstage, similarly lured by the woman. And it was then that Changmin realised, as the woman too, smirked at him, that she was a _he_. Until today, Changmin never found out what Momo's real name was; nor had he ever seen Momo in male clothing. Momo was necessary for protection, Momo had told him one night as they nursed hot sake around a teriyaki bar after work. **He** could be himself only at home.   
  
Just before he left the dressing room with his yakuza companion after meeting Momo that first time, Changmin had seen her press her palm into the yakuza's crotch and whispering, loudly enough that Changmin could hear - "leave the boy with me, and you can take me instead."  
  
And it was done. Momo became Changmin's mentor in the showbiz industry and became the yakuza's companion instead. She shrugged it off, saying she was more used to doing such shit anyway since she was older; the yakuza wasn't that ugly and Changmin was way too young to be sucking dick. He should put his mouth to better use, like singing. So he did - he trained under her guidance and ended up joining her on stage as Jangmi. It became the Momo and Jangmi show and it was an instant hit. Both the general public and yakuza flocked to the clubs they performed at. And eventually Jangmi was offered her own.   
  
That was when Jangmi had her first proper patron- the one that became obsessed with her to the point lines got blurred. Momo had found Changmin one day, sobbing with his dress ripped and bruises on his limbs. She held the weeping boy to her chest and whispered comfort into his ears.   
  
"That's why I need Momo. That's why you need to find something you're good at and stick with it. It'd protect you in this world."  
  
So Changmin had figured out his way, developed his own show, even cultivating a group of regulars. But he needed a strong patron to guarantee funding for the show and then hopefully, he could branch out and escape the low echelons of the industry.   
  
Kei-san was that saviour. He had his eye on Jangmi and then through Momo's yakuza patrons, had followed up on Changmin. Unfortunately, he was also the most ruthless yakuza leader in Nagoya. One night, as Changmin was leaving a bar after a night out with a few regulars and careless kissing and flirting, he had found one of them with his head bashed in and Kei-san smiling as he wiped his hand off.   
  
"Changmin-san. I think it's time I introduced myself."   
  
And he had taken Changmin back to a love hotel and had his way with him, pinned down to the bed, and less than three hours later, covered in cum, Changmin found himself with a powerful patron. But it was not to last, Kei-san found the lure of a Chinese hostess too irresistible and left. Drunk and lost, Changmin had gone to Momo to seek solace and that was when she uttered her words of wisdom. Ones that had etched themselves into Changmin's heart until he met Jung Yunho, almost 5 years later.  
  
"Accept their love, it's good for business. But the fool's on you, if you think it's solely yours."  
  
\---  
  
Siwon leaned back, and smirked again.  
  
"Keisuki Yamagata wants his boy back, Jung. Doesn't Jumon work with the Kenta-gun? What a loss of face it will be once your father finds out what you're doing with a lowly performer? Not to mention his partner's lover."  
  
"Ex-lover." corrected Yunho with a growl.  
  
"I think patron-ships are decided differently in Japan. Korea is a temporary thing, you, my friend, are a temporary thing. Yamagata is Changmin's patron and backer."continued Siwon.  
  
"This is Korea." snapped Yunho.  
  
"But Changmin is going to go back to Japan, isn't he? If he finds out what will happen, I'm sure he'll go back. Keisuki Yamagata is not one to be crossed, boundaries be damned."  
  
"What do you want from me, then?"  
  
"Fortunately for you, the Kenta-gun owe the Haeyun Consortium a favour big enough that if we ask for it, Yamagata will turn over all and any claims on Changmin for good. Choose Changmin, and your family will turn against you, Keisuki will come after you, both of you may die. Give me back what's mine, including Shim, and you will walk away with everybody safe. Choose wisely, Jung."  
  
\---  
  
The door opened and Hojun came in, face stoic. He looked hard at Heechul and then at Changmin, a flicker of something akin to pity crossing his expression before it disappeared. Then he came over and pulled Changmin up.  
  
"Changmin," Heechul grabbed Changmin's arm as he walked past. "Remember what we talked about."  
  
"He'll be okay, right?"  
  
"If you do what you agreed on."  
  
Changmin nodded and walked out of the room, Hojun close beside him.   
  
\---  
  
He could see the two men sitting tensely in the middle of the warehouse space, waiting for him to arrive.  
  
Changmin looked down at the floor, and steeled himself, running through what he had agreed upon with Heechul. He could feel Yunho's touch on his waist, his wrist, their fingers inter-lacing, his lips warm upon his own. He could feel tears start to well up but no, such emotion could not show, not now.  
  
He spoke softly just before they went out of the hallway.  
  
"Hojun-sshi, could you please do me a favour?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"When the time comes, please tell Yunho to remember."   
  
"Remember what?"  
  
"That I'm only his."


	12. Whiplash

It was over in a heartbeat, or rather a gunshot.  
Then a brief moment of silence before it was broken by a questioning tone.  
His name, uttered in disbelief.   
  
"Changmin..?"  
  
Fighting against every grain, every fibre of his being.  
Hands shaking, he dropped the pistol.   
  
Hojun yelled out and raised his own gun, pointed towards Changmin.  
  
"YOU FUCKER!!!!"  
  
Heechul moved swiftly to his side and pushed his arm down.  
Hojun whipped around and glared at Heechul, "What the FUCK?"  
  
"Hojun.. _Hojun_!" Yunho's voice was hoarse but urgent, pressing.  
Hojun threw Heechul another dirty look before dropping to his knees, clutching his friend and boss to his side.  
  
"FUCK, Yunho." His hand came up wet, covered in Yunho's blood. There was no time for formalities.  
  
"Don't. Let Changmin go."  
  
Yunho's eyes bore into his and Hojun growled helplessly.  
  
Then Yunho closed his eyes.  
  
\---  
  
 _I love you._  
  
Changmin murmured restlessly as he tossed around in bed. Vestiges of sleep clutching at him but barely. His eyes bore the marks of pain and lack of rest, darkened with burden and unshed tears.   
  
He sprung awake, footsteps in the corridor outside his room scaring him. He had not been able to let his guard down ever since he was brought here. Ever since that day. Dreading and waiting. Waiting and dreading.   
  
Maybe death would be better.  
  
He closed his eyes and inhaled shakily.  
  
 _"How far would you go to help Yunho?  
I would do **anything**.  
Don't promise things you can't deliver on.  
Fuck you, Heechul.   
  
A low chuckle.  
  
Then stick to the plan. And when I say stick to it, you better stay alive until the end."_  
  
So he had gone into the room where Yunho and Siwon were sitting, waiting.  
Yunho had looked up at him, expressionless, before pushing a clear file towards him.  
Flipping through it, Changmin knew that if he had been thinking twice before about anything, about the plan or about starting anew with Yunho, it was all gone now. His past, his pain, his master, his old lover smiled up at him. Every detail of his relationship with Kei-san on paper. In front of him. In front of Yunho. And Siwon.  
  
"Siwon, I need a moment."   
  
There must have been something in Yunho's voice because Siwon had actually listened. He looked carefully at Yunho then nodded, smirking. He got up, grabbed the file and motioned to his men. They moved to the side, not too far off that they could not react in time if anything went wrong. One of the man took out a phone and passed it to Siwon.  
  
Yunho flicked a look at his own men. Hojun waved at them and they, too, moved off to the side, watching. Now Changmin and Yunho were alone. Yunho was still seated and Changmin was standing at his side, hands in fists, pale with dread.  
  
"Changmin..." Yunho began, tone measured.  
"Were you ever going to tell me? You and Keisuki Yamagata."  
  
"..Yes. I wanted to tell you on my own time but.."  
  
"But what, Changmin? You and I know how the Kenta-gun works. You couldn't tell me that you were fucking with Keisuki Yamagata of ALL PEOPLE?!" Yunho fought hard to keep his volume down but he was worried. Worried for Changmin. Worried for his family. But most of all, Changmin.  
  
"Yunho.. I.. it was complicated ok? I had no choice..."  
  
The silence hung between them, heavy, throbbing. Time was ticking away. Changmin had to say what he had to say, and fast.  
  
"I was running away. But I don't want to run anymore. I didn't plan on meeting you, or for things to end up like this. I just wanted some time away from the shit in Japan and I thought being here would.. that I could eventually buy my freedom from Keisuki."  
  
Yunho was still silent, staring at the file where the mugshot of Keisuki Yamagata's face grinned mockingly back at him.   
  
Then Changmin walked over to Yunho.  
  
Hojun's hand moved to where his revolver was and popped the safety off. Across the room, Siwon's men turned and watched the movement carefully. Siwon stepped behind his bodyguards, handing the phone back to his assistant.   
  
Changmin moved over to Yunho, who was still staring at Keisuki Yamagata's face.  
  
"I didn't plan on meeting you."  
  
Hojun took a step forward, wanting to be closer to the two.  
  
"I didn't plan on falling in love with you."  
  
Yunho heard the click of a safety and turned his head slowly to meet Changmin's eyes, which were welling up with tears.  
  
"Me neither." answered Yunho.  
  
"You remember what I said on the rooftop?" asked Changmin, hand reaching for his pocket.  
  
Hojun cursed silently under his breath and hastened his footsteps.  
Siwon's men also started moving.  
  
"Fuck...what the hell is Shim doing..?" Siwon spat out as he gestured at his men outside to be on stand-by.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Yunho looked down as the shiny black of a pistol was drawn out of Changmin's blazer. His hand was trembling.  
  
"Baby, hold it properly." Yunho said, eyes shining. The endearment stung in Changmin's ears. He grasped the pistol tighter.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"To die by your hands, rather than to have to fight for you. Is this what you have decided once again without talking to me? You speak words of love but betray me again and again with your actions."  
  
"You're wrong, Yunho. It is because I love you that I'm doing this. Remember your promise."  
  
And then he had raised his pistol and shot Yunho.   
  
Siwon's men had reached there just before Hojun and Yunho's men, and grabbed Changmin, running out of the warehouse.   
  
It was over, over in a heartbeat.  
  
\----  
  
Siwon had slapped him twice. Once for idiocy because did you fucking want Haeyun Consortium to be implicated in the death of The President, you slut?!! And twice for fucking running back into the arms of Jung? What the fuck does he have that I don't? Don't I fuck you good enough?  
  
But at least Siwon could not touch him otherwise, yet. Now that Keisuki Yamagata was back in the picture. But it would not be for long. Once Haeyun Consortium settled things with the Kenta-gun, Siwon would make damn sure in every way, that Changmin was his. And not just monetary-wise.   
  
Changmin wondered if he could numb himself to his fate in time. While he waited.   
  
_Heechul, hurry the fuck up._  
  
\----  
  
Hojun slammed his fist into the wall angrily.  
  
Heechul glared up at him, snapping. "Yunho is resting."  
  
"Why did you stop me? I knew Shim was not to be trusted!"  
  
"Lay off. He didn't even aim to kill, it was for show."  
  
True, the bullet had grazed the inner side of Yunho's shoulder, bloody yes, but enough to seriously maim him, no.  
  
"Fuck. What haven't you been telling me, Heechul. Whatever it is, I have a right to know!"  
  
"I will tell you, once you've calmed down. And not here, Yunho might overhear."  
  
"He has a right to know as well."  
  
Heechul stood up so fast, Hojun stepped back. And without warning, he slammed Hojun into the wall.  
  
"No. He cannot know, Hojun. If you want him to be safe, if you want him to be happy which means ensuring Shim Changmin stays alive, he _cannot_ know."  
  
\----  
  
As Siwon's men had gotten nearer to Changmin, arm reaching out to grab him, Changmin had dropped the pistol, tears dropping down his cheek.  
  
"Remember, please."  
  
Realising the pain in his shoulder was nowhere near any vital organs, Yunho had struggled to get up, to hold onto Changmin.  
  
But Changmin had stepped back, and Siwon's men had come and got hold of Changmin. As he was being hustled away, Changmin twisted his head to look back at Yunho.  
  
Yunho lay on the floor, head turned towards Changmin.  
  
He whispered.  
  
"Wait for me, Changmin-ah."


	13. Suspense

Hojun lunged for Heechul but the man wasn’t Jumon Syndicate’s clincher for nothing and he nimbly moved out of the way, leaving the other to slam against the wall.   
  
“How dare you?!” He demanded. Confused and enraged, but mostly enraged.   
  
“How dare you go behind Yunho’s back? If he knows..”  
  
“He won’t know, Son Hojun. And it better stay that way, if you want Shim Changmin alive.”  
  
“I don’t give a flying fuck about that person,” seethed Hojun.  
  
“You’d better. You and I both know Yunho better than anyone else and right now, we either stick to my plan or lose Changmin and risk losing Yunho and everything that goes along with him.”  
  
“No, I won’t let it happen.” Hojun snarled.  
  
“Then listen to me.”  
  
\---  
Siwon stepped into the bedroom, loosening his tie. Thanks to Changmin’s reckless act, there had been no time to scramble for Haeyun Consortium’s file. Well, at least he still had Shim, which technically meant he still had something that Jung Yunho wanted. He just had to play his cards right.  
  
There was a knock on the door and one of his assistants entered.   
  
“Sir, Kei-san’s on the line.”  
  
Fuck.  
  
He raised a finger and the man exited as quietly as he had entered. Keisuki Yamagata may be a client of Haeyun Consortium’s but he operated in ways that Haeyun could not. _Messier_ ways. And that made Siwon uneasy.   
  
Taking a deep breath, he hit the speaker button on the phone that lay on the table before him.   
  
“Siwon-san. How are you?”  
“Kei-san.”  
“I shall cut to the chase. I heard you have found something of mine.”  
“It seems I have.”  
“I will have to ensure he is in perfect condition before I can _express_ my gratitude.”  
“Of course.”  
“I am already in Seoul. Shall we arrange for the check to be done… say, tomorrow night?”  
“How long will these.. checks take?”  
“Oh, Siwon-san. As he is something that I _cherish_ very much, I need to ensure the time apart has not _damaged_ him in any way. You can have him back the next morning.”  
“Have him back?”  
Kei-san chuckles long and hard.   
“Siwon-san, you are not a naïve person. I have _other_ interests that take up my time. I merely wish to remind him of how _worried_ I was when he decided to come to Korea without telling me. After that… do what you will with him.”  
Siwon sits up in his chair, and picks up the receiver.  
“You will leave him with me?”  
Kei-san laughs again, the laughter is hollow.   
“I expect he will meet your needs very well, once I am done with him. Consider it my thanks for finding him.”  
  
\---  
Changmin had been searched before he was thrown into the bedroom under lock and key, with a guard occasionally coming in to give him his meals. There was an en-suite with basic toiletries but nothing sharp or potentially strong enough to break anything or attempt an escape with. He was basically being kept prisoner until the time came. And it was tomorrow night. The guard that had brought in his dinner had mocked him sneeringly about finally “being put in his place by Yamagata”.  
  
Changmin had collapsed to his feet the moment the guard had left. If he knew anything about Kei-san, and he knew the guy intimately and out, he might not even survive.   
  
Fuck. Heechul, this changes things.   
  
The old cupboard in the room was old and its edges were flaking off slightly. Changmin knelt on the floor and picked at it, hoping to tear off a sliver. Minutes passed, his fingers throbbed with the splinter cuts he got, but he continued until he got a sliver long enough to satisfy him. Then he checked to make sure the door was still locked and started carving.  
  
\---  
Yunho could not really move his right arm well due to the gunshot wound. His doctor-on-call had patched it up quite well despite his refusal to go to a hospital. But he could not. It would have been harder to escape from a hospital or try to sneak past Heechul and Hojun.  
  
He got up and went to the study that adjoined his bedroom. Going to the bookshelf, he pulled out a thin red book and waited.   
  
The bookshelf creaked and then it sunk into the wall and another panel appeared. A panel full of guns, ammunition and knives moved into its place. Yunho dragged his fingers across the guns, feeling each sheath and holster, each bullet and blade. Then he found what he was looking for and unhooked it from its clasp. He grabbed a few rounds and attached it to the holster that hung low on his waist. Then he lifted up the hem of his leg and sheathed a dagger there. He doubted he would be able to move fast enough to reach it if he needed to, but it was better to have it there.   
  
“Going somewhere?”  
Yunho spun around, a switchblade ready to fly.   
“Hyung.” He growled.  
  
Heechul smirked and dusted some imaginary lint off his arm.  
“It’s not nice to leave me out, Yunho.”  
“Some things I have to do alone, hyung.” Yunho turned back around and mentally ran through his checklist, making sure he did not leave anything essential out.  
  
“You forgot this.” Heechul said, pushing something into Yunho’s hand.  
It was a bulletproof vest.  
  
“Hyung.”  
“Just fucking wear it.”  
  
“You have to help me then,” he grinned.  
“Do I have to fucking help you wipe your ass too after you shit?” grumbled Heechul but he did it anyway, taking special care around Yunho’s injured arm.  
  
A tense silence descended between the two old friends.  
  
“Are you sure about this, Yunho?”  
“You know the answer.”  
“But I am still asking because I need to make sure your brain hasn’t been shot out of you as well.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Well, then. “ Heechul patted the straps in place. “You’re an idiot.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
“Just. Fucking don’t die on me, Jung. I mean it. I’ll get really pissed off.”  
  
“Got it, hyung. Take care of yourself. And Hojun too.”  
  
“That fucker almost punched me. My face, Yunho. You owe me a raise.”  
  
“I do.” Smiling, Yunho turns and pulls Heechul in for a side-hug.  
  
“If you know. Do me a favour and go to Gwangju?”  
“Fuck off. Grow some balls and face your dad yourself.”  
  
“Thanks hyung.”  
\---  
  
Tomorrow came too soon and Changmin found himself being ordered to shower and then he was given the same suit he had worn at the warehouse to wear. It had been freshly washed and pressed.   
  
Kei-san won’t give a shit about what I wear, he thought bitterly.  
  
Then he was led to a waiting Rolls-Royce. Red carpet treatment for a man that was going to hang. He shook his head at the irony. Except he would have wished for something else for a last wish. His hipbone bristled with a slight ache and he could feel a slight dampness.   
  
Well, all he could do now was wait.


	14. Danger

The car pulls up at a swanky hotel in downtown Seoul. A Japanese woman, in a sleek pantsuit and scarlet red lipstick stands waiting for them in the lobby. The click-clack of her stilettos, an ominous tick-tock to the fate that would be awaiting Changmin on the 40th floor.   
  
The lift opens up into a penthouse suite. It takes up an entire floor, with an opening to the rooftop which has a helipad and overlooks Namsan Mountain. A stunning skyline but essentially, it means silence. Seclusion. Separation. From anything that will take place in the hours that follow.   
  
Changmin is led into the master bedroom. It is all white sheets and pale brown furnishing. But on the bed, there is something. Long and black. Leather-made and laced with steel. Changmin recognises it instantly. A dildo. He glances at the side table.   
  
Nothing but a few leather straps, a pair of rubber gloves.   
_Bindings. No prep. No lube. No condoms._  
  
He gulps.  
  
"Changmin-san, strip please."   
  
The order comes from the woman, who has settled herself in the living room of the suite. Her voice is sharp and toneless. For a moment, he contemplates refusing. But he knows better. There isn't a choice, is there?  
  
He starts unbuttoning his shirt, heart thumping slowly.  
  
\---  
  
Yunho switches off the engine of his Harley-Davidson as he swings the bike into a parking position along the side of the road. He looks up at the tall building in front of him and spots the uppermost penthouse suite. Its windows had curtains drawn but the lights were on inside.   
  
Changmin was in there, somewhere.   
  
A flicker of doubt went through his head but he recalled something; something that had lodged itself at the back of his head and refused to let go.  
  
 _"No matter what happens, remember, I'm always yours."_  
  
That was enough. He left his bike and headed for the side of the building.  
  
\---  
  
Her fingers were icy cold and the blood-red of her nails stood out against her alabaster skin. Her long fingers stroked the curve of Changmin's neck as she wound the leather straps around his wrists. Not a word was exchanged, but Changmin could feel the sense of foreboding build as he knelt, naked on the floor.   
  
His ankles had already been bound together beneath his body; the softness of the carpet grating against his knees. His hair was standing, not just against the cold but for another reason entirely.  
  
She turned and went to the side table, putting the gloves on.   
  
"Get onto the bed, please, Changmin-san", came the next order. Still unfeeling. Still toneless.   
  
He climbed onto the bed and returned to his kneeling position. Looking around the room, he wondered briefly if he could wriggle free from his bindings, overpower her and make a run for it. But he doubted it. Kei-san would not have sent just anyone for him. She could probably crush his windpipe with her hand alone.   
  
"Spread your legs."   
  
With a sinking feeling, he did what he was told. Knowing what was to come, and yet hoping against hope, he closed his eyes and just prayed, he had the mental strength to survive it.  
  
Outside, there was a quiet thud.  
  
\---  
  
Yunho wiped the blade of his dagger on the blazer of the now-dead bodyguard lying in front of him. Two other bodies lay strewn in the carpeted hallway behind him. Naturally, the surveillance cameras of the entire floor had been switched off for the night. Kei-san was not one to do things half-way, and he had counted on that when he slipped into the 40th floor via the staff elevator.  
  
He felt something wet on the side of his face and lifted his hand to wipe it off.   
  
Red.  
  
Fucking dude must have gotten a slash in.   
  
In less than 5 minutes, Kei-san would be arriving, if he wasn't already in the suite with Changmin. He had to move faster.  
  
Well, that meant doing away with the quiet way of breaking into a room.  
  
He grabbed his gun and aimed it at the door.  
  
\---  
  
He refused to shed a single tear, gritting his teeth through it all.  
  
His legs lay limply open wide, still bound at the ankles which were now scraped red with the rubbing of the straps against his skin. Maybe he was bleeding a little, he did not know. The pain had subsided into a dull ache but at least when Kei-san came, he would be open and prepared for the intrusions. His eyes were closed, perhaps he could pretend this was a horrible dream; one that he would soon wake up from.  
  
Beside him, the lady had thrown her gloves into a plastic-bag lined wastebasket and had gone into the bathroom to wash her hands. Changmin had been more sedate than she had expected, but perhaps it was the knowledge that Kei-san would be worse, that had quietened his usual spirit.  
  
Then a BANG from the outside got her crouching to the floor as she hitched her skirt up and grabbed at the pistol that was strapped to her thigh.  
  
\---  
  
"Changmin!" yelled Yunho, as he pushed into the bedroom and saw the bound man lying lifelessly upon the sheets.   
  
"Changmin, baby. Can you hear me?" whispered Yunho, as he climbed onto the bed, hovering over the still figure. He raised a hand to Changmin's face and felt his heart ache as the other flinched from his touch.  
  
"Yun..Yunho?" Changmin murmured, not daring to wake up.   
  
"Baby, it's me. I'm here." Yunho bent down, laying a gentle kiss on the other's sweat-streaked forehead. He glanced down at the rest of the body, trying to fight the rage that was threatening to pour out of him. Grabbing his dagger, he started to slash through the straps that trapped the man he loved.  
  
"Your face, Yunho.." whispered Changmin, agonised, as he caught sight of the bleeding wound on Yunho's cheek.  
  
"It's okay, baby. You'll still love me with a scar on my face right?" Yunho said, smiling down at him.   
  
"Idiot." Changmin was nearly crying now. _Would you? Would you still love me like this?_  
  
Then a voice sounded, breaking their reverie.  
  
"Yunho-san. Let go of him, please."   
  
Yunho continued slashing through the last of the straps, holding onto Changmin's raw wrists.   
  
"Let go of him, please." came the demand, toneless and sharp, just like how it had been earlier.  
  
"Were you the one who did this to him?" asked Yunho quietly, eyes still locked onto Changmin's as he raised his wrists to his lips and kissed the both of them. Changmin stared up at him, empty but the vestiges of a tear were starting to form at the tenderness that was being shown.   
  
That was all the answer Yunho needed.  
  
He flicked a hand without turning, and with a muffled cry, the lady sunk to the floor; a dagger lodged in her throat.  
  
"Yunho-san. That is not a nice way to say hello."  
  
 _That voice._ Changmin thought, his heart sinking deep. He looked up at Yunho again, shaking his head slowly, fingers clutching tightly at the other's.  
  
 _Please._  
  
He had no idea what he was pleading for. Just that he was.  
  
Yunho bent down again and this time, pressed a kiss onto Changmin's dry lips.   
  
"I love you, Shim Changmin. Stay with me." he whispered. Changmin just looked back, and then a glimmer of the man he loved; the free unbridled spirit that was now subdued, surfaced, and that man nodded, wide eyes brimming over with tears.  
  
Turning around, almond eyes alit with fire, Yunho got off the bed and stood erect to his full height. Re-energised.   
  
Now, he had something to avenge. Facing the newcomer at the door, he started,  
  
"Kei-san. I don't think we've been introduced properly yet. My name is Yunho. But you may have heard of me as "The President"."  
  
\---  
  
Outside, several black cars had pulled up and men were running across the road towards the hotel, guns held by their side.   
  
On the other end, Heechul sat in his Mini Cooper with a Union Jack emblazoned over it, tapping his fingers impatiently.   
  
_Come on, Hojun. Get them out of there, now._


	15. Showtime

Hojun cursed silently under his breath as he ran up the flight of stairs, keeping close to the wall with his revolver cocked and ready. As he neared the 40th floor, he could hear running footsteps from down below; they would either be Siwon's men or Kei-san's yakuza.   
  
**Fuck.**   
  
38th floor.   
  
He heard the stairway door above him open and shrank back against the wall, waiting.   
  
It was a man's voice, speaking angrily in Japanese.  
  
 _"Kei-san isn't aware of this, is he?...He's in the room now with an order not to be disturbed... I've called for back-up... Fuck, do I look like I know how the hell it happened..?!"_  
  
\---  
  
"Your reputation precedes you, Yunho-san. As well as your little dalliance with _my_ Changmin-kun over here." Kei-san smiled, a smile without warmth.   
  
Yunho gritted his teeth but kept his expression still.  
  
"That is not how we do things in Japan, Yunho-san. And I must apologise on behalf of Changmin-kun that he did not see fit to inform you of his _roots_ before getting involved. But I am sure you would understand of course, after all, we are of the same cloth."  
  
"What do you plan to do with him?" asked Yunho, voice steady not betraying the anger that was bubbling beneath his still demeanour. Behind him, Changmin had pulled himself to a seated position, hidden under the blankets. He was watching the scene before him with wide eyes; still raw from the torture that he had undergone earlier but his fighting spirit was coming back. Strengthened by Yunho's affirmation; his **proclamation of love**. _Despite it all_. He looked around for his discarded clothes and started inching towards them.  
  
"Oh, Yunho-san. You amuse me. What do you do when one of yours betrays you like Changmin-kun has, to me? Don't worry, I can't bear to kill him. But I will have to _correct_ him."  
  
Yunho narrowed his eyes, still staring right at Kei-san. The shorter and stouter man was still grinning but underneath the grin was a threatening countenance. Without turning, he murmured quickly to the man behind him,  
  
"Changminnie, first chance you get, promise me you'll run."  
  
Changmin looked up, having dressed himself discreetly beneath the blankets while the two other men were talking.  
  
"Wha..?"  
  
"Promise me!"  
  
"No, Yunho. I'm not leaving you anymore."  
  
Yunho closed his eyes in frustration. He snuck a glance at Kei-san who was still watching him, smile plastered on his face as though mocking him.  
  
"Fuck Changmin, this is NOT the time to be.."  
  
"NO. Yunho. Neither of you own me, neither of you can order me around and right now, I'm staying WITH YOU all the fucking way."  
  
Yunho smirked, heat surging through his body.  
  
He straightened up once again, sensing Changmin move closer behind him.  
  
"Well, Kei-san. You heard him. And friendly reminder, this is Korea, not Japan. So you are now on my turf, not yours." He stated, pulling out his gun and aiming it straight at the yakuza.  
  
\---  
  
Hojun stepped gingerly over the dead bodies in the corridoer, turning up his nose at the knife wounds on their necks. Standard Yunho MO - straight across the jugular. He rolled his eyes at his old friend and boss' uniformity while feeling a sense of relief. It meant that Yunho won the first round, which means he was still alive.   
  
Bad news was, he had not gotten any calls from Heechul yet. Which meant the two were still on the other side of the door with goodness-knows-who-else.  
  
He noticed the door stood slightly ajar, its knob having been blown off. Pasting himself next to the wall, he peeked through the gap and caught sight of two men in suits standing just inside the door, back facing him. They had earpieces that went down their backs, signifying that they were bodyguards.  
  
 _So Kei-san's in there._  
  
Suddenly, he heard a gunshot and a man's cry. The two men jerked up and looked at each other. One of them started to reach for his back pocket.  
  
 _There was no time to lose._  
  
Hojun gave his surroundings another glance-over.   
  
Then he counted '1..' and pushed the door open quickly, pumping a muffled bullet into one of the guys on the left before he turned onto the guy on the right.   
  
It was over before he reached '3'.  
  
\---  
  
It was a showdown.  
Eyeball to eyeball.  
Who would blink first?  
  
Kei-san had reacted as fast as lightning, whipping out a gun of his own and aiming it right at Yunho's heart.   
  
Changmin had tried to push him away but Yunho stood his ground firmly, instead pulling Changmin closer with his free arm.   
  
In Japanese, Changmin turned to Kei-san.  
  
"Kei-san. Let him go, this is between you and me."  
"Now, why would I want to listen to you?"  
"Don't you know who he is? Are you sure you want this to become an all-out war in a foreign land?"  
  
Yunho growled.  
  
"Changmin, what the fuck are you saying to him? You are not going anywhere!"  
  
"Kei-san," Changmin went on. "The truth is, the Jumon Syndicate is not involved in this. Yes, I've fucked Yunho. But I've also fucked Choi Siwon."  
  
A sharp intake of breath could be heard from the man next to him whose arm was around his waist. Changmin ignored the twinge of guilt he felt and continued.   
  
"I've not only fucked Choi Siwon, I'm officially his man. The rights to ownership of my patronage belong to Choi. Not Jung."   
  
And with that, Changmin pulled himself out of Yunho's grasp and pulled down his pants, exposing his left hip.   
  
The symbol for Haeyun was carved into his skin; still red but there.   
  
Changmin was marked in the most traditional way possible and one that all gangs alike recognised.   
  
When you joined a gang, the last rite of initiation was to be marked with the gang symbol. It was life-long and it represented the person's gang identity and who they belonged to. For all intents and purposes, Changmin was with Choi Siwon, not just physically but also mentally.   
  
Yunho felt a wave of betrayal hit him in the gut and the arm holding the gun wavered.  
  
"Choi Siwon dared to mark you, knowing you belonged to me?" snarled the yakuza. Finally, his face was overcome with a murderous expression of his own. It was a huge affront to the yakuza code of conduct to mark another gang's property without the proper transactions made.   
  
"Changmin?" Yunho asked, voice trembling with the sheer effort of trying to stay composed. He was facing Changmin fully now, having taken his eyes off Kei-san.  
  
And that was when Kei-san looked up and saw his opportunity to strike.  
  
He moved his gun to aim it at Changmin and his finger moved over the trigger.  
  
"YUNHO!" Changmin cried out.   
  
The Korean triad boss dove at Kei-san, causing the man's arm to fly up.  
  
\---  
  
Hojun dashed into the room, gun poised. He saw Kei-san on the ground, momentarily knocked out cold when he was tackled to the ground. Yunho was on top of him, groaning in pain.   
  
"Hojun!" Changmin called out as he caught sight of the assistant. "Yunho got shot! We need to get out of here!"  
  
"Heechul's waiting downstairs." Hojun answered, awash with relief at seeing Yunho alive. "But Kei-san has more men stationed all over the building. We have to go now! Yunho, are you alright?"   
  
Yunho nodded. He gestured at his shirt weakly. "Heechul made me wear a vest." Hojun cursed again and gave silent thanks to Heechul, noting that he now owed the older man another. Changmin got up and went gingerly over to Yunho, trying to help him to stand. He tucked his face into the crook of the older man's neck, feeling like he was going to cry again. Yunho held him briefly then walked over to the dead lady and bent down, wincing at the pain and picking up the dagger that was still lodged in her throat. He quickly wiped the blade on her pantsuit.   
  
"Let's go."   
  
"Yun..? You sure you're alright? I thought I almost lost you.." Changmin whispered. He was pale with fear and pain, shaking from the turmoil that he had just been through in the last few hours.   
  
"Shush, talk later." replied Yunho. "You can't walk, can you?" He dropped a quick kiss against Changmin's temple and with a huge grunt of effort, picked Changmin up bridal-style. Changmin just held onto Yunho tightly.  
  
Then following Hojun, they headed out of the room.  
  
In the distance, gunshots could be heard. Then the elevator dinged and three men with guns out, poured from it and ran towards the open doors of the suite.


	16. Backfire

Heechul cursed silently under his breath as he crouched down low against the wall. He never did like getting his hands dirty; yes, he could point a gun and shoot just as well as any of them but it _didn't_ mean he liked it. He found that most of the strongest-looking of people flailed when a gun's mouth was pointed at their _most important_ areas after all.  
  
He peeked around the side of the wall, where the hotel's entrance was. If Yunho was smart, they would escape through the front - risky but less likelihood of fire. Choi might be an idiot but he was not one to start a gang war in public. He flicked the safety off and waited.  
  
 _Fuck you, Hojun. 5 minutes and I'm going in._  
  
\---  
  
"All clear." muttered Hojun as he looked over the railing, glancing quickly downwards and then above. Yunho was behind him, still carrying a dazed Changmin. He groaned.  
  
"Yunho..? Are you alright?" whispered Changmin as he looked worriedly at the older man. Yunho coughed again and then answered, "I guess I'm still a bit winded. The bullet didn't hit me but it was too close a distance."  
  
"Let me down, I'll run." Changmin said, moving to get off.  
"No, you're in pain." objected Yunho, tightening his grasp.  
"It's nothing I can't handle. I'll worry about it when we get out of here." Changmin hopped off gingerly and leaned against the wall, feeling the ache severely in between his legs. He thought briefly of having to undress and then.. face the extent of the damage of _whatever_ was there. That amount of pain. He could feel himself quaver.   
  
Strong arms enveloped him again.  
"Hey, I've got you."  
  
Changmin looked back into Yunho's warm eyes, eyes that were alit with fight.   
_He came back for me._   
He attempted a smile and answered, "Let's go."  
  
\---  
  
"Fuck these Korean bastards. No sense of principles at all!" cursed Kei-san as he rubbed the back of his head.   
"Kei-san we have to tread carefully. This isn't Japa.."  
"Yes, I _know_ that, Ryu-san." spat out Kei-san as he kicked the nearest chair into a corner of the room. "First that two-faced Choi _dared_ to mark my Changmin, and now _my_ Changmin's gone off with Jung fucking Yunho of all people. How the fuck did he get involved with the two biggest mafia heads in Korea?!"  
"And one more thing..."  
"What?!"  
"There's another problem with Choi."  
  
\---  
  
Siwon closed his eyes and counted to 3 slowly. His regular masseuse had told him he needed to learn how to relax even in emergency situations. Well, she had mentioned something like that - he could not really remember, after all she had mentioned it when he was busy fucking her during one of their sessions. But her words had stuck.   
  
"Where the hell is Shim and Jung now?" he asked, voice shaking with the effort of keeping it even.   
"We're not sure, Mr Choi. Our men were led to another location so it was just the couple of us here and no one keeping track of the surroundings. We only realised the trap when we got there."  
"1...2..." counted Siwon again.  
He growled and jabbed the mouth of his revolver into the temple of the squeaking man that was on his knees in front of him.  
"Mr Choi?" came another voice from behind him.  
"Kei-san is looking for you."  
  
\---  
39th floor  
"Take the stairs!"   
"Down! They are there"   
  
25th floor  
"Goddamnit! They are here!"  
Pressed against the wall, the three held their breaths as gunfire sounded from above their heads, the sound echoing off the stairwell's walls.   
"Hojun, stat rep now."   
"Heechul's outside waiting for us."  
"Our men?"  
"Surrounding the building. We're holding off on any confrontation until you're out."  
"Let's try to avoid that. There are members of public here, and I don't plan on Jungnam Inc. getting implicated."  
"What do we do now?"  
"Get out of here before the police comes."  
  
Changmin was staring wide-eyed at Yunho and Hojun as they spoke but at Yunho's final word, they both turned to him and in unison,  
"Police?!!"   
Yunho looked at the both of them and winked.  
"You didn't think I came here without a plan of my own, did you?"  
He leaned in and tugged Changmin's chin up towards him,  
"We'll talk about this mark of yours later."  
  
Changmin exhaled.   
_Fuck._  
  
\---  
  
"Yunho's got the coppers coming." muttered Hojun into the receiver.  
"What the hell? Is he crazy?" Heechul burst out before he remembered where he was and clamped a hand over his mouth.  
"He says he has a plan."  
"Fuck. And our men have to be out of here before they arrive, how. the. fuck. will. we. do. that?"  
  
In the distance, police sirens sounded.   
  
"Just get the fuck out of there now, Son. All of you!"  
  
\---  
  
15th floor.  
"Here."  
The sound of gunfire from the floors above had stopped but they were not about to question why.   
"Yunho, I don't know if you have noticed but we're still not at ground level yet." said Hojun.  
" _Just_ follow me."  
  
They slid the door open after Yunho made sure the coast was clear and sneaked out. He led them down the carpeted corridor. This floor was the hotel's club floor; Changmin could hear the sound of television from an occupied room as they hurried down the hallway. He hoped this would end well and quickly.  
  
1522.  
Yunho took out a card and let them in.  
"Baby, you need to go and shower and dress up."  
"What?"  
"Trust me. As of now, we're a couple now, and we've just checked in."  
"What's going on?" asked Hojun.  
  
Yunho sighed and turned to his right-hand man.  
"When I found out that Kei-san was in Seoul, I had my contacts do some research. He was staying at the Peninsula, which is where -" Yunho paused to indicate Changmin with a flick of his head "-Changmin has a room. But he would definitely not seek him out there so the second most obvious location would be this hotel. It's part-owned by a Kenta-gun affiliate," Yunho finally let himself smirk "and part-owned by Jungnam Inc. I found this out by chance when a source informed me that some Japanese yakuza had checked in here."   
  
"As expected, the penthouse was booked by a Ryuka Tamoroshi. Japanese connection. I got a booking here on the club floor and set about preparing the next part of my plan. I was going to try and keep Jumon Syndicate and Jungnam Inc. out of this as much as possible. I'm not interested in a cross-country turf war. So I called in a favour. As you know, we have operated quite peacefully all these years despite _the nature_ of our activities. This did not come cheap but it's paid off. We have some men in the police force and I hinted that gang activities were taking place here."  
  
"Heechul had a plan too. He slipped Choi's men information about a different location and they went there instead. We were supposed to come here, get Shim and leave. We didn't know about any police!"   
  
"Calm down, it's not a crime to be at a place. This is within Jumon Syndicate's turf. The police is aware of that _unofficially_. Plus I'm here with my lover, fucking. Naturally, my men will be outside."   
  
Changmin was speechless as he listened to Yunho. It was a risky plan but was brilliant. Yunho's alibi for being here was iron-clad. Jungnam Inc. owned half the hotel, and he was here with Yunho. Even if the police suspected anything, their hands were clean.   
  
Yunho got up and went over to Changmin, holding him in a loose embrace.  
  
"I know you're hurting, my love. But I'm going to have to ask you to be strong for me, and just do your best one more time. Then after this, we'll take care of you and we can talk about what happened."  
  
"Yunho.. I'm sorry." Changmin's eyes welled up again, misery on his face as he recalled the hurt on Yunho's face when Choi's gang mark was revealed.   
"I had no choice, I didn't know if Heechul would come in time, I didn't know if you would come. I knew if Kei-san saw this, there was a chance he would turn on Siwon and that would buy me more time."  
  
Yunho chuckled, then he leaned over to press kisses along the side of Changmin's face.   
"You did well, my love. Nothing enrages an old gang boss more than seeing a young pipsqueak mark his women.. or in this case, his man."   
  
"Now, I need you to shower so we can look like a couple who are going for a date before coming back to fuck."   
  
\---  
  
20th floor.  
  
The door flew open and the men rushed in, having come down from the upper floor when they realised it was empty.   
"Kei-san is coming!" reported one of them.  
  
Siwon turned around and faced the door. His men gathered behind him, guns pointed, ready for a fight.   
  
The man appeared soon after, flanked by his own guards.  
  
He took one look at the manpower in the room and shook his head. "Siwon-san. I'm surprised you still dare to act like you did nothing wrong."  
"I don't know what you mean."  
"All that gun display. When I should be the one pointing this at you!" Kei-san scowled, lifting up a gun of his own and pointing at Siwon.  
  
Immediately, six men on each side lifted their own weapons, all aimed at the other side.  
The tension grew.  
  
"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about." repeated Siwon.  
"Fucking Changmin, I can live with. It's what men like us do. Fine. I hope you fucked him well and good. But to _mark_ him, when he is still _mine_. It is technically theft and you owe me both an apology and compensation."  
"What the.. I didn't mark him!"  
Kei-san chortled, the sound of his laughter ringing around the room.  
  
"I saw it with my own eyes, Siwon- _san_ And it is enough to tell me that as of now, clearly rules are meant to be broken."


	17. Showdown

15th floor  
  
Changmin let the hot water drip down.  
Around his neck,   
across his shoulders,  
down his back.  
And then the pain as it went over his ass.  
  
He stared.  
The water ran a rusty-red.  
And then it was clear.  
  
His thighs ached.  
But he had not much time left.  
  
He took a deep breath and turned off the tap, stepping out of the shower.  
  
\---  
20th floor.  
  
Kei-san popped the safety off, sneering.  
Then,  
  
"KEI-SAN!!! THE POLICE ARE HERE!"  
  
12 pairs of eyes turned to the panicked yakuza at the hotel door, and then back to where their guns were still pointed at one another.  
  
"Did you tip them off?!" snarled Kei-san.  
  
"Fuck, no!" snapped Siwon.   
  
"Kei-san, we need to get out of here! Let's go!" the man yelled in Japanese.   
  
Kei-san cursed and turned, making for the door.   
  
Then he stopped and in a cold voice, he spat out "This is not the end, Choi."  
  
\---  
  
15th floor  
  
Yunho went to him the moment he stepped out of the bathroom. He cupped Changmin's face in both his hands and tilted his face gently for a gentle kiss.  
  
"Alright, baby?" he whispered softly.  
Changmin nodded, eyes closed. He leaned into Yunho's caress, drawing strength from the other's presence.   
"Do you remember what you said to me when we first met? That night?"  
Images of that night, furious and wild fucking, plenty of cursing and oh, so much fucking, flooded through Changmin's head.  
"When all you cared about was getting in my pants?"   
"Well, that. But what you said." Yunho chuckled as he leaned forward again for another kiss.  
"That I would win whatever game you were trying to play at?"  
A slight smile appeared at the corner of Yunho's smile.  
"I need that Changmin back tonight."  
  
\---  
  
18th floor  
  
Gunshots rung out.  
  
A man crumbled against the hotel corridor as frightened hotel customers trembled in the corners of their rooms, afraid of the ruckus that was taking place outside.   
  
Kei-san and his men bundled into an elevator, jabbing at the button to quickly shut the doors. As the doors slid together, Siwon came running into view.  
  
"FUCK!!!!"   
He turned to one of his men.  
"Where's the police?"  
"5 minutes away, sir."  
"My car?"  
"Basement."  
  
\---  
  
Yunho pressed another soft kiss against Changmin's temple and Changmin exhaled, feeling a bit lighter. He looked around and noticed Hojun and Heechul were missing.  
  
"Where are the rest?"  
"Hojun's outside the room, waiting for us."  
  
A frantic row of knocks sounded as soon as Yunho finished speaking.   
"I guess it's showtime." He reached out a hand.  
  
Changmin looked into Yunho's eyes, his sparkling determined eyes, the eyes he could get lost in. And he took the hand.  
  
\---  
  
Basement  
  
Heechul snuck up behind the nearest suit-clad man standing just inside of the emergency escape and slammed his head hard against the wall. With a sickening crack, the man collapsed. Heechul dragged the body into the stairwell and closed it behind him. He could see a few other men scattered around the entrance to the carpark but one just beside Siwon's Rolls Royce, waiting. They seemed tense. Time was running out.  
  
He crouched down and ran along the side of the carpark until he reached the other end. The carpark was pretty full so thank goodness for that. He reached down to pull out his pocket dagger. He was quite fond of the knife, having gotten it on a side trip to Taiwan on assignment but ah well, he would make Yunho get him another.   
  
He could see Siwon's guard look up towards the entrance, waiting for the cue to pick up his boss. Heechul checked his surroundings one last time - clear. Then he aimed and threw his dagger.  
  
\---  
  
Lobby  
  
DING!  
  
The elevator reached the lobby and opened.   
  
There was a murmur near the hotel entrance as police cars pulled up. Some of the police officers went off to question a group of men surrounding an Audi R8 at the side and the rest were inside, spread out. The police captain was talking to a harassed-looking hotel manager and his assistant.   
  
Kei-san cursed and motioned for his men to walk as unobtrusively as possible to the nearest door. The police captain looked up as they walked past and then hesitated before raising his hand and calling out, "Excuse me!"  
  
Kei-san took one look at his men and then turned around, bowing low and smiling through his teeth.   
"Yes?"  
  
Behind him, another elevator dinged and Yunho and Changmin, followed by Hojun and three other men came out. Yunho's arm was draped around Changmin's waist and Changmin had his hand on Yunho's shoulder, whispering into his ear. Both were smiling and had eyes only for each other. Then Changmin leaned over and laid a kiss on Yunho's cheek.   
  
Yunho spotted Kei-san and his expression seemed to flicker a bit before it returned to the look of a surprised man bumping into an acquaintance.   
  
"Why, Officer Shin. What a surprise to see you at my hotel. How may I help you?" His hold on Changmin tightened as they neared the group and Changmin was relieved to see Hojun press nearer to him on his other side.   
  
Kei-san couldn't help a sneer and it did not go unnoticed by Officer Shin.   
  
"We received news of gang activity taking place here, President Jung." replied Officer Shin.  
"Gang activity? Oh dear. Manager Yoo, do you know anything about this?"   
"Well... apart from what happened a few hours ago.."  
"What happened a few hours ago?" asked Officer Shin.  
"Chairman Choi Siwon and quite a number of Japanese men were here.."  
"Japanese men? Like this man over here?" Officer Shin gestured to Kei-san who was looking increasingly uncomfortable.  
"Officer Shin, as you are aware. This is my hotel and I abhor gang activity taking place in what I believe should be a safe and comfortable environment for my customers and staff..."  
"THAT MAN..." interrupted Kei-san in Korean, "HAPPENS TO BE IN A GANG. He is MARKED." He pointed angrily to Changmin.   
  
All eyes swivelled over to Changmin and as Officer Shin opened his mouth to address him, Yunho cut in.  
"Officer Shin, and you, sir," - tilting his head towards Kei-san - "would be interested to know, this happens to be a very special friend of mine." He clutched Changmin tighter to himself in a public show of possession and let his hand slip lower on Changmin's hip. "I would be very careful with your words."  
  
Yunho turned his head towards Changmin and turned his face towards him, sliding his mouth over the other man's. Changmin closed his eyes and parted his lips, allowing Yunho to slip his tongue in and thoroughly kiss him. Then Changmin bared his neck and Yunho bent down, kissing down his throat and biting softly. With that show done, Changmin turned into Yunho in a half-embrace with one hand on Yunho's chest and the other around his neck. Then with Yunho's hand firmly on his ass, he turned around and looked towards the rest of the group, the rest of their public display over.   
  
  
Officer Shin gulped, getting the message. He cleared his throat loudly and turned towards Kei-san.   
"Please show your identification."  
  
A hotel bellboy ran over and whispered something in Manager Yoo's ear.  
"What is it, Manager Yoo?" asked Yunho.  
"Our security says some men are in the basement and there's a dead body."  
"What men?"  
"Chairman Choi Siwon's men, sir."  
  
Yunho turned to Hojun.   
"Stay here with Manager Yoo and assist the police. I will take Changmin home and come back."  
Hojun nodded.  
  
"Officer Shin, I trust your questions have been answered."  
Officer Shin nodded, signalling to some officers and gesturing for them to head down to the basement with the hotel security.   
  
"Make sure these Japanese men here get escorted to the station. I want Choi Siwon and him interrogated!"   
  
It was only until Yunho got into the backseat of his Audi R8 with Changmin pulled tightly against him that he let out a sigh of relief and felt he could breathe again.


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm done. this fic took me 3 years or so. to write.  
> P.S: and that first piece of dialogue at the top, takes place in the car as they leave the hotel. Changmin was asking Yunho if he was scared. 
> 
> to the one and only star in the sky, Jung Yunho: happy birthday.  
> to the one and only sky that can hold that star, Shim Changmin: happy birthday.
> 
> For without the star to shine, the sky would be dark and unseen; for without the sky, the star would be lost, unable to live.

Were you scared?  
..  
 _Yes._  
 _  
Of losing you._  
\---  
  
Mr Jung, this is for you. We need to discuss this before the meeting tomorrow.  
  
His secretary runs out of his office, a bright bronze plaque behind her at the entrance announcing "JUNGNAM INCORPORATED" in bold, handing over a folder just before Yunho walks into the elevator with two of his men.  
  
He rifles through the papers, acknowledging the forecasted figures put together for the huge announcement tomorrow and then the press conference that would follow.  
  
He quirks a questioning eyebrow at his waiting secretary. She rolls her eyes and shoots her boss a half smile before answering:  
  
 **Yes** , everything is ready.  
  
\---  
  
Heechul smirks as the man before him screams.  
  
His legs are up on the desk in front of him and he is busy checking his newly-trimmed nails. He flicks a hand lazily and another burly man wielding a pair of pliers in front of him moves in to the figure strapped to the chair.  
  
Another scream.  
  
Heechul winces. He couldn't be bothered to do the _coaxing_ himself.  
  
So, you ready to join us? He asks, in Japanese.  
  
The Japanese Kenta-gun soon-to-be double-agent for Jumon Syndicate nods frantically.  
  
 **Yes**.  
  
\---  
  
The long, lithe man at the window stands, watching the sun set over the horizon where he guesses Mt Fuji would be. His freshly-brewed coffee sits, steaming beside him on the window sill. The room is painted with a soft pinkish glow, a quietness before the advent of night.  
  
It has been a couple of months since he came home. To Japan.  
  
There's movement behind him, a muttered Korean swearword and then someone steps up just behind him.  
  
Shall we?  
  
Changmin turns and lets his gaze sweep across the empty shell of his apartment near the Meguro River. His life in Japan had been packed up in the months he had been here, recovering and sent across the sea. His contract had been abruptly cancelled and he was free. _Free_. The word tasted different on his tongue. He could do anything he wanted and go anywhere he wanted. _Free_. From contract conditions, from debts, from the sordid world of yakuzas and clients and patrons. He was _free_. And there was only one more thing left to do.  
  
He turns to Hojun, the only man Yunho would trust to be with Changmin if he could not be there personally himself. But Yunho had proper business matters to settle, _Jungnam Inc._ matters, and he had insisted Yunho stay behind in Seoul rather than invite unwanted speculation over his prolonged absence from the office.  
  
 **Yes.**  
  
\---  
  
Siwon was on his knees in front of his parents and another distinguished-looking elder man, head bowed. He was topless with his hands braced on the floor, ready and awaiting.  
  
You have embarrassed us, and dragged the name of Haeyun Consortium in the mud.   
  
Siwon feels like he is about to throw up in frustration but he keeps his mouth shut.  
  
You have consorted with the yakuza and not only do we have to resolve things with the Kenta-gun, one of the most established triads in Japan, you got in trouble with Yanghyun hyung-nim's son.   
  
Siwon seethes silently at the reference to Yunho. As punishment for disgracing the family, he should have been killed. But his mother had pleaded for mercy and instead, he gets this. A public whipping. In front of his parents, his gang and Jung Yanghyun, Yunho's father and the head of Jumon Syndicate. It was a humiliation that would stick with him for life, not so much the physical pain. _That_ would be easier to bear, he thinks bitterly.  
  
We have had to conduct some extra negotiations in order to appease the Kenta-gun and then compensate them monetarily with Kei-san behind bars. The Jungs are our rivals in life and in work but we have a code, and I did not bring you up to forget that code, Siwon. For a fucking show performer, you have thrown away our dignity.   
  
Siwon grimaces as his father rants.  
  
=  
Jung Yanghyun sits stoically beside him, his own men fanned around the room. In a show of peace, he had come unarmed. The old guard was the old guard after all, unlike the younger generation. He, too, had been appalled by the events and by the discovery of Yunho's willingness to risk it all, even his own life for Changmin. But above all, he trusted his son's judgement. On knees in front of their ancestors, Yunho had explained and then prostrated himself, begging for forgiveness. Changmin had knelt beside him, hand held tightly in Yunho's, head bowed.  
  
You angered the Kenta-gun and I don't know how Choi Kiho will react to us having disgraced his son in this way. But you have Changmin with you and that means you've won. Won against the yakuza, and against Haeyun.   
  
  
Yes.  
  
There better not be a next time.  
  
 **Yes** , father.  
  
=  
  
Siwon grits his teeth and looks up at his father.  
  
Let's get it over and done with.  
  
 **Yes.**  
  
\---  
  
A half-drunk cup of coffee sits on the bar when Changmin walks in, Hojun following behind. He rolls his eyes, muttering about triad bosses who could strike fear in the scariest of men with just their presence but was unable to do simple things like wash up after himself. Two other men drop his luggage by the door and he thanks them with a smile. They go off into the kitchen.  
  
He hears voices coming from the study in Yunho's penthouse apartment and heads in that direction. Heechul is just inside, apparently finishing up with giving Yunho a report of what had just taken place a few hours before in a warehouse near Noryangjin.  
  
So our Japanese contacts are in place and we will be ready to pre-empt any possible plan of revenge by the Kenta-gun. But Yori-kun assures us that word spread rapidly and the Japanese triads are unlikely to want to seek trouble now with the Jumon Syndicate. So tomorrow, Jungman Inc will be announcing an unprecedented planned investment in Tokyo...   
  
Yunho nods, playing with a Rubik cube listlessly. He knows Heechul would never fail him. Meanwhile he is waiting for ...  
  
Heechul scowls at the lack of attention being given.  
  
He turns and sees the newcomers and sighs. No wonder. Patting Changmin on the shoulder, he walks out, ushering a flustered Hojun out with him.  
  
=  
  
Hey.  
  
Yunho comes around his desk, beaming. He opens his arms and Changmin walks gratefully into them, glad of a warm embrace after the flight and nearly a month without Yunho. Yunho presses a kiss to his forehead, and then his nose and then, presses his chin down to seek out his lips.  
  
They kiss, soft and sweet. Lips meshing against each other, tongues licking lightly. Changmin raises his hands to cup Yunho's head and Yunho's own reach down his waist to press Changmin closer to him.  
  
Hey.  
  
I missed you, whispers Yunho.  
  
Changmin reaches in for another kiss in answer.  
  
Imagine my surprise when I saw how much stuff you had, laughs Yunho, alluding to the boxes and boxes of items that had come shipped from Japan from Changmin's apartment. He thinks it was fortunate that he lives in a penthouse as there was no way an ordinary Seoul apartment could fit all of that.  
  
Changmin grins, his eyes becoming mismatched. He lays another kiss on Yunho's cheek and turns around to walk towards to the ceiling-to-floor windows that overlook the Hangang. The sun is setting here, and the same pink glow that had farewelled him in Tokyo, welcomes him here in Seoul.  
  
Except now, he has a warm and loving presence behind him that circles his arms around his waist and holds him close, face tucked into the crook of his neck, nibbling gently at his collarbone.  
  
Welcome back to Seoul, baby, says Yunho. Are you ready to start this chapter with me?  
  
Changmin pauses, letting his mind go back through his years in Japan, his history with his patrons, the events of the past few months and then some. He remembers the scars and the pain and the experiences and the glamour. And then he looks ahead to the dance studio that awaits him, the choreography and stage production residency at SM Entertainment, one of South Korea's biggest entertainment companies, that was offered to him on recommendation from Super Junior's Lee Donghae (he smiles at the memory of Yunho's best friend silently listening to Yunho explain what had happened after he had come back from a world tour, face twisting first in panic, then concern and then acceptance. He remembers thanking Donghae quietly when Yunho had left to go to the bathroom, for acting on his hunch and alerting Yunho to his plight, eventually _saving_ him. Donghae had shaken his head and then looked Changmin in the eye. No, he said, it's you. You saved Yunho from the ghost of a man he was. As his bro, I thank you. And they had hugged, to Yunho's surprised amusement.)  
  
He turns around and looks Yunho in the eye, before leaning in again to kiss him.  
  
 **Yes.**


End file.
